American Critical Minerals Applauds the Newly Updated 2025 U.S. Geological Survey List of Critical Minerals Now Including Both Potash and Lithium

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American Critical Minerals (OTCQB:APCOF) welcomed the U.S. Geological Survey's finalized 2025 List of Critical Minerals, which for the first time includes both potash and lithium. The Federal Register notice was posted on 11/07/2025 (Docket 2025-19813).

The company said the updated list reinforces the strategic importance of these minerals for domestic supply chains and underpins the Green River Project focus. Management noted that a recently closed bought‑deal financing and the appointment of Dean Pekeski to the technical team support planned phased drilling programs aimed at confirming historical data and advancing maiden resource work for both potash and lithium.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / November 12, 2025 / American Critical Minerals Corp. ("American Critical Minerals" or the "Company") (CSE:KCLI)(OTCQB:APCOF)(FRANKFURT:2P30) is pleased to announce that the USGS has recently updated the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the director of the U.S. Geological Survey ("USGS") and has now finalized the 2025 list of critical minerals to include both Potash and Lithium. The updated list emphasizes "Critical minerals are essential for national security, economic stability, and supply chain resilience because they underpin key industries, drive technological innovation, and support critical infrastructure vital for a modern American economy". Furthermore, the notice goes on to state "The Nation possesses vast mineral resources that can create jobs, fuel prosperity, and significantly reduce our reliance on foreign nations, and the United States is taking actions to facilitate domestic mineral production. The List of Critical Minerals guides strategies to secure the Nation's mineral supply chains" (See the Federal Register as posted on 11/07/2025 and available online at https://federalregister.gov/d/2025-19813, and on https://govinfo.gov).

Simon Clarke, President and CEO stated, "This timely announcement further underpins the importance of unlocking the potential of both Potash and Lithium within our Green River Project. Now with our recent bought deal financing closed and our technical team expanded with the appointment of Dean Pekeski, we can focus on executing our carefully designed phased drilling program(s) to confirm historical data and work towards maiden resources for both potash and lithium".

About American Critical Minerals' Green River Potash and Lithium Project

The Green River Potash and Lithium 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's National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") Potash Exploration Target consists 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 Exploration Targets for Lithium and Bromine are 2.1 billion cubic meters (brine volume) grading from 71.6 to 216.3 parts per million lithium; and 2.1 billion cubic meters (brine volume) grading from 3,656 to 4,741 parts per million bromine.**

The Company holds a 100% interest in eleven State of Utah ("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***.

****Exploration Targets are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define them as Mineral Resources, 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.

Qualified Person

The 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.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Simon Clarke, President & CEO

Contact: (604)-551-9665

*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.

**A report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report - Green River Potash and Lithium Project, Grand County, Utah, USA", prepared by Agapito Associates Inc., and dated October 27, 2025, quantifies the Green River Potash Project's potash, lithium and bromine exploration potential in the form of NI 43-101 Exploration Targets. The Exploration Target estimate was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. It should be noted that Exploration Targets are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define them as Mineral Resources, 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. Details of the basis on which the Exploration Targets have been determined is included in the Report. The Exploration Target stated in the Report is not being reported as part of any Mineral Resource or Mineral Reserve. A copy of the report can be accessed on both SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the corporate website for the Company: www.acmineralscorp.com.

***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: use of proceeds; statements about exploration targets; goals of the Company; magnitude or quality of mineral deposits; anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; and future exploration prospects.

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.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

FAQ

What did USGS change on the 2025 critical minerals list affecting APCOF on 11/07/2025?

The USGS finalized the 2025 list to include both potash and lithium, with the Federal Register notice dated 11/07/2025.

How does the USGS inclusion of potash and lithium affect American Critical Minerals (APCOF)?

The company said the inclusion reinforces the strategic relevance of its Green River Project and supports planned drilling to confirm historical data and pursue maiden resources.

What corporate developments did American Critical Minerals report alongside the USGS update for APCOF?

The company reported a recently closed bought‑deal financing and the appointment of Dean Pekeski to its technical team.

Will APCOF start drilling after the 2025 USGS list update and what is the objective?

The company said it will focus on executing phased drilling programs aimed at confirming historical data and advancing maiden resource work for potash and lithium.

Where can investors find the official USGS notice that affected APCOF on 11/07/2025?

The Federal Register entry is available at https://federalregister.gov/d/2025-19813 and on govinfo.gov.