VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / April 23, 2026 / American Critical Minerals Corp. ("American Critical Minerals" or the "Company") (CSE:KCLI)(OTCQB:APCOF)(Frankfurt:2P3) is pleased to announce that it has engaged RESPEC Company LLC ("RESPEC") to manage and execute its drilling program at its Green River Potash, Lithium, and Bromine Project located in the Paradox basin, east central Utah.

Highlights

RESPEC is well versed in the Paradox Basin and has a solid track record on both potash and lithium brine projects.
Drill targeting is complete and is designed to validate historic drill data and test, through coring and brine sampling, key potash horizons as well as clastic zones for lithium and bromine in the Paradox and Leadville formations.
Two historic wells within the Green River Project intercepted thick potash zones (in excess of 5 meters) within Cycle 5, which has been the focus of potash mining in the Paradox Basin for over 50 years at Intrepid Potash Inc.'s (NYSE:IPI) ("Intrepid") Moab Solar Solution Mine (Intercepts include 3.4 m @ 26.4% eKCl and 5.9 m @ 24.3% eKCl).*

Dean Pekeski, CEO & President of the Company stated: "The start of our 2026 Green River Project drilling program is a significant step forward for American Critical Minerals. Engaging RESPEC to provide full-service management of this important drilling program is the first step in execution of this work. RESPEC adds significant strength to our ability to execute our inaugural drill program. The Green River Project has the benefit of numerous historic oil and gas wells across and around its acreage, with e-logs that highlight excellent potash grades and thicknesses. We are proximal to Intrepid's Moab Mine, which has been successfully producing potash for over 50 years. We are also surrounded on two sides by Anson Resources Limited's (ASX: ANS) ("Anson") Green River and Paradox Basin lithium projects, which are at an advanced stage and have attracted industry-leading partners as Anson looks to move its projects to the feasibility and production phase. Drilling our own wells will validate the historic data and the broader potential of the Green River Project for Potash, Lithium, and Bromine. Our property contains three key critical minerals. Drilling is a major strategic step in advancing this project and we are excited to get started."

About RESPEC

RESPEC is an employee-owned consulting and technology company delivering integrated solutions across mining, energy, water, and infrastructure, and the Company believes that RESPEC's particular knowledge of the Paradox Basin and its track-record on both potash and lithium brine projects make it the ideal partner to manage the Company's first drilling program.

Founded in Rapid City, South Dakota, RESPEC operates in 14 states and two Canadian provinces, with projects completed across seven continents and over 50 countries. RESPEC supports resource development programs through drilling management, geological services, and engineering expertise, helping its clients advance projects from exploration through development and operations. They have extensive experience managing and executing potash and lithium drilling projects on their clients' behalf completing over 100 total drilling projects, including 39 full procurement programs.

The Plan

RESPEC will work closely with the American Critical Minerals management team to plan and execute drilling in a safe and efficient manner. RESPEC will be responsible for detailed program design, logistics, procurement, and on-site supervision of all service providers. On-site geological services will include core and brine handling, logging, sampling, preparation for geochemical assaying, and reclamation.

American Critical Minerals has three drill holes permitted within its State of Utah potash mineral leases (School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration leases "SITLA"), which are fully permitted and bonded for drilling. Additionally, the Company has four drill holes within its recently granted BLM potash exploration licences, which are authorized under its approved plan of operations.

Drill target selection is complete based on recommendations from the Company's technical team and the Company's recently filed NI 43-101 technical report. Data collected from the initial drilling program (up to 2 holes planned) is expected to advance the project by validating historical potash data through core sampling. Additionally, brine samples will be collected from the clastic zones within the Paradox and Leadville formations for lithium and bromine content.

Future drilling will be contingent upon completion of this initial program. The Company is targeting Q3 2026 for mobilization and site preparation for drilling. Each drill hole is expected to be completed within 45 days of commencement.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Dean Pekeski, President & CEO

Contact: 604-551-9665

About American Critical Minerals' Green River Potash and Lithium Project

The Green River Project is situated within Utah's highly productive Paradox Basin, located 20 miles northwest of Moab, Utah. It has significant logistical advantages including close proximity to major rail hubs, airport, roads, water, towns, and labour markets. It also benefits from close proximity to the agricultural and industrial heartland of America and numerous potential end-users for its products.

The history of oil and gas production across the Paradox Basin provides geologic data from historic wells across the Project, and the wider Basin, validating and de-risking the potential for high grade potash and large amounts of contained lithium. Wells in and around the project reported lithium up to 500 ppm, bromine up to 6,100 ppm and boron up to 1,260 ppm (Gilbride & Santos, 2012). This data is reinforced by nearby potash production and the advanced stage of neighbouring lithium projects. The Paradox Basin is believed to contain up to 56 billion tonnes of lithium brines, potentially the largest such resource in US (Source:AnsonFastmarketsPresentation- https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/ASN/02823465.pdf).

The Company has disclosed targets for further exploration at the Green River Project consisting of 500 million to 950 million tonnes of sylvinite (the most important source for the production of potash in North America) grading from 12% to 18% potassium oxide based on elog (eK2O=19% to 29% potassium chloride based on elog (eKCl)). Its target for further exploration for Lithium and Bromine are 0.6-1.7 Mt lithium carbonate equivalent grading from 91-152 ppm; and 3.3-9.1 Mt bromine grading from 2,647-4,412 ppm.**

The Company holds a 100% interest in eleven SITLA mineral and minerals salt leases covering approximately 7,050 acres, 1,094 federal lithium brine claims (BLM Placer Claims) covering 21,150 acres, and 11 federal (BLM) potash prospecting permits covering approximately 25,480 acres. Through these leases, permits and claims the Company has the ability to explore for potash, lithium, and potential by-products across the entire Green River Project (approx. 32,530 acres). The Company is authorized to drill a total of 7 drill holes across the Project (pending bonding the recently approved 4 drill holes).

Intrepid Potash, Inc. is America's largest potash company and only U.S. domestic potash producer and currently produces potash from its nearby Moab Solution Mine, which the Company believes provides strong evidence of stratigraphic continuity within this part of the Paradox Basin (www.intrepidpotash.com). Anson Resources Ltd. has advanced lithium development projects contiguous to the northern boundary of our Green River Project and neighbouring to the south. Anson has a large initial resource, robust definitive feasibility study and has recently completed successful piloting operations through its partnership with Koch Technology Solutions, as well as an offtake agreement with LG Energy Solution. The Anson exploration targets encompass the combined Mississippian Leadville Formation and the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation brine-bearing clastic layers, which also underlie American Critical Minerals' entire project area (www.ansonresources.com).***

In 2022, the U.S. imported approx. 96.5% of its annual potash requirements with domestic producers receiving a higher sales price due to proximity to market (intrepidpotash.com/ August 15, 2024, Investor Presentation). In March 2024, the US Senate introduced a bill to include key fertilizers and potash on the US Department of Interior list of Critical Minerals which already includes lithium, and this process is well advanced with potash being added to the USGS Draft Critical Minerals List. In August 2025. Recent market estimates suggest that the global potash market is over US$50 billion annually and growing at a compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") of close to 5%. Annual lithium demand is now estimated to be over 1 million tonnes globally and continuing to grow rapidly.****

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dean Besserer, P.Geo., the Chief Operations Officer of the Company and a qualified person for the purposes of NI 43-101.

*Historical data disclosed in this news release relating to historical wells from previous operators are historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has yet verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. The Company's future exploration work may include verification of the data. The Company considers historical results to be relevant as an exploration guide and to assess the mineralization as well as economic potential of exploration projects. Any historical well data disclosed are selective and may not represent true underlying mineralization. Please refer to the report titled "Amended and Restated NI 43-101 Technical Report, Green River Potash and Lithium Project, Grand County, USA' dated January 27, 2026 and available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

** The potential quantity and grades are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource, and, while reasonable potential may exist, it is uncertain whether further exploration will result in the determination of a mineral resource under NI 43-101. Targets for further exploration for potash, lithium and bromine at the Green River Potash and Lithium Project are used to provide a conceptual estimate of the potential quantity and grade of a mineral deposit, based on known and additional limited geological evidence. It is an early-stage assessment that will help to guide further exploration, but it is not a mineral resource or mineral reserve and should not be treated as such. The report titled "Amended and Restated NI 43-101 Technical

Report, Green River Potash and Lithium Project, Grand County, USA' dated January 27, 2026 and available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca provides details of the basis on which the targets for further exploration have been determined.

*** American Critical Minerals' management cautions that results or discoveries on properties in proximity to the American Critical Minerals' properties may not necessarily be indicative of the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties.

**** United States Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2024 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2024/mcs2024-potash.pdf).

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: statements with respect to the Company's future plans and potential of its mineral properties; and statements with respect to the Company's drilling program.

Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that such expectations will prove to be correct. All such forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Forward-looking statements also involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from this forward-looking information include those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A.

Forward-looking information contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: American Critical Minerals Corp.

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American Critical Minerals Engages RESPEC to Execute Its 2026 Drill Program at Green River Project