Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSX-V: CRE) (US OTCQX: CRECF) (FSE: F12) (“Critical Elements” or the “Corporation”) is pleased to announce initial results from the 2025 summer exploration program completed on Critical Elements’ 100%-owned Nemaska Belt properties group, in the Eeyou Istchee region of Québec (Figure 1).
An important helicopter-borne electromagnetic VTEM plus time-domain system (“VTEM”) survey covering the Nemaska Belt properties was designed to provide data incremental to the high-resolution magnetic survey completed in 2021. These datasets aided the exploration team’s surface program targeting potentially economic mineralization, including high-grade nickel-copper-PGE and lithium-bearing spodumene.
Interest in high-grade nickel-copper-PGE mineralization in the region has increased with the exploration success of Power Metallic Mines Inc. (“Power Metallic”), formerly Chilean Metals Inc. Critical Elements optioned the Nisk property to Power Metallic in 2020 (press release). Following the exercise of the option agreement by Power Metallic on the property hosting the Ni-Cu-EGP Nisk deposit and the new polymetallic Lion discovery, Critical Elements retains a non-dilutive interest of 20% until a definitive feasibility study regarding extraction and production activities is completed on the Nisk property. Critical Elements also held just over 10 million shares of Power Metallic as of May 31, 2025 (Condensed Interim Financial Statements for the nine-month period ending May 31, 2025).
Mineralized Zones
During the 2025 summer exploration program, multiple mineralized zones were identified through rock sampling in areas coinciding with electromagnetic anomalies (VTEM conductors). The mineralization is dominated by pyrrhotite and pyrite (iron sulfide) with trace to 3-5% chalcopyrite (copper sulfide) and/or pentlandite (iron-nickel sulfide). Surface exploration confirmed historical showings and identified newly prospective areas.
In total, 1,091 rock samples and 73 till samples (0.5kg C-horizon) were collected during the summer campaign, of which 452 rock samples assays are still pending. The exploration program was designed to maximize geochemical coverage and assist in defining targets for future drill testing (Figures 1 and 2). Of these samples:
- 25 grab samples grading above 0.1% nickel, with values up to 0.76% nickel.
- 17 grab samples grading above 0.1% copper, with values up to 2.00% copper
- 9 grab samples grading 0.1 g/t or above palladium, with values up to 0.62 g/t palladium
- 1 grab sample assaying 3.38 g/t platinum
- 6 grab samples grading over 0.025% cobalt, with values up to 0.07% cobalt
- 35 grab samples grading above 1.0 g/t silver, with values up to 13.6 g/t silver
- 2 grab samples assaying 0.32% and 0.22% molybdenum
*Grab samples are selective by nature, unlikely to represent average grades, and may not represent true underlying mineralization.
