Critical Elements Lithium reports positive results at Rose West discovery, Eeyou Istchee, Québec
Critical Elements Lithium Corp. [TSXV: CRE; OTCQX: CRECF; FSE: F12] provided assay results and an update on its Phase 1 Winter 2026 drill program, at the 100% owned Rose West discovery, located in Eeyou Istchee, Québec.
Highlights: The Phase 1 Winter 2026 drill program continues to deliver positive results demonstrating the successful expansion of the Rose West mineralized footprint from 450 m x 370 m to 1,250 m x 800 m, thicknesses that typically range from 10 to 40 m, and excellent lateral continuity.
Newly discovered Pegmatite 5 is delivering substantial and laterally continuous intersections in the southern portion of the Main Target Area, part of a stacked and generally flat lying system.
The geological model continues to prove to be highly effective and productive. An additional 19 holes have been completed with assays pending from four holes.
Assay results were received for holes RW-26-34, and RW-26-41, and returned some significant lithium and tantalum composite assays, including 1.19% Li2O and 167 ppm Ta2O5 over 14.50 metres (including 1.41% Li2O and 170 ppm Ta2O5 over 12.20 m), through Pegmatite 3, in hole RW-26-34; 1.51% Li2O and 93 ppm Ta2O5 over 18.50 m (including 2.49% Li2O and 50 ppm Ta2O5 over 9.60 m), through Pegmatite 5 (new), and 0.89% Li2O and 175 ppm Ta2O5 over 10.00 m, through Pegmatite 3, in hole RW-26-41. True thickness is between 80 to 95% of the core length.
Rose West is situated within 10 km of the advanced Rose Lithium-Tantalum Project. Rose West is a near surface lithium-rich pegmatite bearing zone, initially intercepted by drilling over a 450 m x 370 m footprint area in the winter of 2024, now covering an overall footprint of 1,250 m x 800 m.
The lithium-rich pegmatites typically range from 10 to 40 m in thickness and display a sub-horizontal geometry. Recent drilling has identified three new spodumene-bearing pegmatitic bodies within the target area; a significant addition to the working model as it could potentially lead to rapid growth of the mineral inventory within the footprint of the project.
Jean-Sébastien Lavallée, CEO, noted, “We are very pleased with our 2026 drill program to date. The program is demonstrating the efficacy of our geological model and significant growth in the Rose West mineralized footprint, which in turn may have a significant impact on the economic value of our flagship Rose project. Assembling the project financing leading to a final investment decision for Rose, one of the most advanced hardrock lithium projects in North America, remains our primary goal. Demonstrating the potential scale of Rose and its satellite Rose West is, however, a cost-effective value driver for Critical Elements, its shareholders, and the citizens of Eeyou Istchee, the Province of Québec, and Canada.”
To date, the Winter 2026 drill program has covered most of the Line A, Line E and Line K planned holes. As previously mentioned, holes were planned to reach three specific goals: expand laterally all around the existing mineralized footprint (RW-26-29 to 34, RW-26-45 & 46); test the area for continuity to the northeast (RW-26-47 to 50), to the southeast (RW-26-40 to 44); verify the potential of discovering additional lithium-bearing pegmatites below the currently defined area.Holes RW-26-31 to RW-26-34 were drilled along Line K, at the northern boundary of the target area.
Assay results are now available for hole RW-26-34. This group of holes by itself extends the northern boundary of the main Pegmatite 3 footprint area by some 500 x 100 meters yet showing an average thickness of 15 meters.
Covering an area of 500 m x 600 m, drilling to the south (RW-26-38 to RW-26-44) also intersected two significant pegmatites interpreted to be Pegmatite 5 (new) and Pegmatite 3; they show a thickness still in the range of 10-15 meters. Assay results from hole RW-26-41 confirms the high-grade nature of the newly interpreted Pegmatite 5 over a larger interval than along Line K (18.50 m compared to 10.50 m) confirming grade continuity and suggesting that the zone thickness has significantly increased toward the south, Pegmatite 3 zone also demonstrates continuity in grade over to the south area, maintaining 0.89% Li2O over the 10.00 m interval.
Assay results for the remaining 4 holes are not yet available but are anticipated to reflect the concentration of spodumene observed in the core.
The Winter 2026 drill campaign ended April 3 and assay results for about two-thirds of the samples sent to the laboratory are now available and presented in the current press release. The campaign has already proven to be successful by demonstrating the lateral continuity of the mineralization and interpretation of the mineralized model has been completed to the extent of the available data.
The sub-horizontal pegmatites dykes are believed to be in an extensional position and distributed in a “en echelon” pattern within a much wider regional structural framework.
Critical Elements aspires to become a large, responsible supplier of lithium to the flourishing electric vehicle and energy storage system industries. To this end, Critical Elements is advancing the wholly-owned, high-purity Rose Lithium-Tantalum project in Québec, the company’s first lithium project to be advanced within a land portfolio of over 1,016 km2.
On August 29, 2023, the corporation announced results of a new Feasibility Study on Rose for the production of spodumene concentrate. The after-tax internal rate of return for the project is estimated at 65.7%, with an estimated after-tax net present value of US$2.2B at an 8% discount rate. In the company’s view, Québec is strategically well-positioned for US and EU markets and boasts good infrastructure including a low-cost, low-carbon power grid featuring 94% hydroelectricity.
The project has received approval from the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the recommendation of the Joint Assessment Committee, comprised of representatives from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Cree Nation Government, received the Certificate of Authorization under the Environment Quality Act from the Québec Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, and the project mining lease from the Québec Minister of Natural Resources and Forests under the Québec Mining Act.