Announcement • Aug 05
North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp Validates Radon Targeting Approach with 100% Hit Rate for Pegmatite Dykes and 75% Hit Rate for Rare Earth Minerals At Bardy
North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. validated its radon targeting approach, after drilling at Bardy delivers a 100% hit rate for pegmatite dykes and a 75% hit rate for rare earth minerals. The pegmatite dykes were predicted from soil-gas radon anomalies at the Québec property. Hole BBY-2026-006 returned the strongest visual mineralization, including an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite (139.70 m to 147.70 m) with visible allanite. The hole ended in mineralized pegmatite, leaving the system open in all directions. All observations are from visual core logging; drill core is being sampled for laboratory analysis. Every hole intersected pegmatite, and six of the eight holes carry visible allanite, with parisite logged in one hole. All eight holes (BBY-2026-001 to -008) totaling 1,554 m and drilled across a 500-metre east–west area, intersected the targeted syenitic-to-granitic pegmatite dykes. Visible allanite—and parisite in hole BBY-2026-001— was logged in six holes. The two remaining holes cut the same target pegmatite carrying magnetite, confirming dyke continuity. BBY-2026-006 intersected an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite (139.70 m to 147.70 m) with an allanite-rich interval at 146.20 m to 146.40 m, an allanite cluster at 8.20 m to 8.30 m, and disseminated allanite at 71.30 m to 71.65 m. The hole ended in pegmatite at 156 metres, and is open at depth. BBY-2026-004 returned a ~2 cm allanite-dominant mass at 35.40 m to 36.30 m with a strong scintillometer response, plus allanite and apatite/possible monazite over 28.75 m to 30.60 m. BBY-2026-003 (216 m) logged allanite at 97.0 m and 195.2 m; BBY-2026-008 (300 m) logged disseminated allanite over 154.90 m to 157.20 m. The pegmatite dykes were predicted from soil-gas radon anomalies; every hole confirmed a dyke, and three-quarters host rare-earth minerals. The program tested soil-gas radon anomalies and the main Bardy dyke (~N70/-50) against the property’s surface rare-earth plus/minus niobium showing, over a 500-metre east–west area. All eight holes intersected the targeted syenitic-to-granitic pegmatite dykes, validating the radon-anomaly targeting model. Rare-earth-bearing minerals—principally allanite, with parisite in hole BBY-2026-001 and apatite/possible monazite locally—were also logged in six of the eight holes: BBY-2026-001, -003, -004, -006, -007, and -008. The two remaining holes cut the same target pegmatite carrying magnetite, without visible rare-earth minerals, confirming dyke continuity across the area drilled. Allanite was identified by comparison with government reference photographs of neodymium-praseodymium mineralized rocks from the district; in core it occurs as dark green, prismatic crystals that give a scintillometer response. BBY-2026-006 returned the most consistent rare-earth mineralization of the program: an allanite cluster at 8.20 m to 8.30 m, disseminated allanite at 71.30 m to 71.65 m, and an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite from 139.70 m to 147.70 m with an allanite-rich interval at 146.20 m to 146.40 m. The hole ended at 156 metres in syenitic pegmatite, indicating the mineralized structure continues below the current hole depth and supports a deeper follow-up hole. The eight holes completed at Bardy are summarized below, as compiled from the project drill-hole database. Reported intervals are downhole (core) lengths; true widths have not yet been determined. Drill core is being sampled and submitted for multi-element and rare-earth-element assay at an accredited laboratory; results will be disclosed once received and validated under the Company’s QA/QC protocols. Integrate the eight Bardy holes into the geological model to define the orientation, continuity, and true widths of the mineralized pegmatite dykes. Evaluate a deeper follow-up hole at BBY-2026-006 to test the down-dip extension, which remains open at depth. Continue the planned drill program on the adjacent Blanchette property. The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). Clyde McMillan, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained herein. Mr. McMillan, the Qualified Person, has verified the data disclosed in this news release. Verification consisted of a review of the daily geological reports prepared by Laurentia Exploration, the Company’s field geological contractor, which documented consistent diagnostic characteristics of the rare-earth minerals across the holes, including colour, crystal habit, scintillometer response, and geological setting. Because this disclosure is based on visual core logging and qualitative field instruments only, no analytical (assay) data was available to be verified; the Qualified Person cautions that visual mineral identifications are preliminary and require laboratory analysis for confirmation. The mineralization described in this news release has been identified by visual examination of drill core and qualitative field instruments. Visual identifications are preliminary in nature, are inherently uncertain, and may not be representative of the rare-earth-element content of the rock. Sampling and laboratory analysis are required to confirm the nature and tenor of any mineralization, and the Company cautions that mineralization observed at the Bardy property is not necessarily indicative of economic mineralization. All reported pegmatite intervals and widths in this news release are downhole (core) lengths. True widths have not yet been determined and will be estimated once the geological model is updated with the remaining drill-hole data.
