Critical Elements Drills 1.89% Li2O and 161 ppm Ta2O5 Over 27.35m at Rose West, Resumes 10,000m Program After July 6 Fire Suspension

Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSXV: CRE) released assay results on August 12, 2026 from its Phase 2 Summer 2026 drill program at the 100% owned Rose West Discovery in Eeyou Istchee, Québec. Holes RW-26-35A, RW-26-51, RW-26-52, and RW-26-58 returned 1.89% Li2O and 161 ppm Ta2O5 over 27.35 metres, with a higher-grade interval of 2.70% Li2O and 222 ppm Ta2O5 over 10.50 metres nested inside, plus an additional interval of 1.84% Li2O and 115 ppm Ta2O5, per the company's August 12, 2026 news release.

Drilling had been suspended following the proximity of a forest fire to the project camp and equipment on July 6, 2026. Kenneth Williamson, Director of Exploration, stated: "We are grateful to assess that the situation at the Project Area has evolved in the right way; field activities can resume, and most importantly, everyone is safe."

Rose West is a lithium-tantalum system, per the company's August 12, 2026 news release. The four reported holes carried 161 ppm Ta2O5 across the full 27.35-metre interval and 222 ppm Ta2O5 within the 10.50-metre higher-grade core, alongside the lithium grades, per the same release.

With the camp clear, the full 10,000-metre systematic program is back in motion. The Phase 2 program has already expanded the Rose West mineralized footprint by an additional 300 x 300 metre bloc, with intercept thicknesses continuing to range from 10 to 30 metres, per the August 12, 2026 news release. The stated target is expanding the overall mineralized footprint to approximately 1,250 x 2,000 metres and establishing lateral continuity across at least two more mineralized pegmatite bodies.

The existing Rose lithium-tantalum deposit — a separate asset from the Rose West Discovery — carries an NI 43-101 indicated resource of 31.9 million tonnes grading 1.0% Li2O, per the company's disclosure. Critical Elements has stated a target of commencing production of high-quality spodumene concentrate in 2026. The company's project portfolio also includes the Nisk, Arques, Bourier, Caumont, Dumulon, Duval, Lemare, and Valiquette properties.

As of the most recent available data, Critical Elements holds CA$18.06 million in cash against zero debt, per SimplyWallSt. The company has 232,039,672 shares outstanding and a market capitalization of $95.14 million, per ADVFN.

CRE traded at 0.405 CAD as of August 19, 2026, down 1.22% on the session, per TradingView. Volume data for the August 19 session was unavailable from live exchange feeds.

The lithium sector backdrop, per ingested data as of August 12, 2026, was rated neutral — a contrast to multi-month strength in precious metals, with spot gold up 1.24% and silver up 1.06% on that date.

Additional assay results from the remaining holes in the Phase 2 program are pending release, with the program continuing to drill toward the 1,250 x 2,000 metre footprint target.