Apex Critical Metals Embraces a Two-Project Exploration Drive for 2026

Apex Critical Metals is advancing its strategy on two continents, pushing ahead with a US drilling program at the Rift Rare Earth Project in Nebraska while Canada’s Cap Critical Minerals Project in British Columbia shows signs of a larger, multi-commodity system than previously anticipated. Here is where things stand and what comes next.

The company has secured a permit from the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment to commence drilling at the Rift Rare Earth Project, located within the Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex. This approval clears a major hurdle and enables Apex to launch its maiden drill campaign on the flagship US project.

The licensed area covers roughly 3,500 acres in the southeastern corner of Nebraska. Historical drilling carried out by Molycorp between 1973 and 1986 and Quantum Rare Earth Developments during 2010–2011 demonstrated notably high rare earth element (REE) grades in the region:

• 155.5 meters at 2.70% REO, including 54.9 meters at 3.30% REO (hole EC-93)
• 236.2 meters at 2.10% REO, including 68.2 meters at 3.32% REO (hole NEC11-004)

These results underpin the current drilling program. Management notes that preparations are progressing rapidly: service contracts are being finalized, drill equipment and schedules are being secured, and drill targets are being further refined using historical data and geological modeling. The company plans to begin drilling in the first half of Q1 2026.

Cap Project, British Columbia: A larger, multi-commodity system emerges

At Cap Critical Minerals in British Columbia, 2025 exploration results point to a significantly broader mineralized interval than initially anticipated. The discovery drill hole CAP25-006 delivered a notable intercept:

• 124.5 meters with 0.27% Nb2O5, including a high-grade 10-meter section at 1.08% Nb2O5

The niobium zone shows continuity along strike and at depth, indicating opportunities for additional drilling in 2026 around this target.

A multi-commodity system worth watching

Cap’s results hint at a geologic setting capable of hosting multiple critical resources within a single karbonatitic system, including:

• Niobium — a key element for high-strength steels and advanced tech applications
• Phosphate — a vital component in agricultural fertilizers
• Rare Earth Elements — essential for electronics, energy transition technologies, and defense applications

Geophysical surveys also reveal a large concealed magnetic anomaly, suggesting the underlying karbonatitic complex could extend beyond the areas already tested.

Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Apex Critical Metals?

Financing and market context: Building the runway into 2026

To fund its 2026 exploration plans, Apex Critical Metals completed a non-brokered private placement for CAD 10 million on October 30, 2025. The placement raised:

• 4,000,000 units at CAD 2.50 per unit

With these proceeds, cash on hand is approximately CAD 14.76 million, providing a solid foundation for work on both projects.

Market data at a glance:

• Market capitalization: about CAD 153 million
• Year-to-date share performance: +17.47%
• 52-week trading range: CAD 0.33 to CAD 3.63
• Beta: 1.65
• Share price: currently around €1.69, well above the €1.48 50-day moving average

Note: The price in euros and the CAD-based metrics reflect the different currencies used in market reporting for the company; the CAD figures are consistent with the listing data, while the current price is cited in euros per the latest market update.

2026 plan: Two projects, one objective

Apex Critical Metals has laid out a clear dual-track program for 2026:

• Rift Project (Nebraska): A fully funded drill program aimed at confirming and expanding the historically high-grade REE intervals. In December 2025, the company conducted renewed logging and re-sampling of historical drill cores to sharpen priority targets.

• Cap Project (British Columbia): Step-out drilling around CAP25-006 and initial testing of the newly identified magnetic anomaly. The goal is to better define the size and geometry of the karbonatitic system.

The combination of an approved US drill campaign, a growing niobium-focused system in Canada, and secured financing sets up a well-defined 2026 roadmap. The critical next milestone is whether the upcoming drilling in the first half of 2026 will validate the historical data and translate into a credible resource picture.