Atlas Critical Minerals Announces High Metallurgical Recoveries from Rare Earths Project

Initial Tests Achieve Up To 97% Recovery for Magnetic Rare Earths Elements

Belo Horizonte, Brazil--(Newsfile Corp. - January 26, 2026) - Atlas Critical Minerals Corporation (NASDAQ:ATCX) ("Atlas Critical Minerals" or "Company"), a company focused on critical minerals for energy, technology, and defense applications, is pleased to announce high metallurgical recoveries from initial testwork on samples from its 100%-owned Alto do Paranaíba Project ("Project") in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The testwork was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Altilium Ti/REE Process™ (pat. pend.) for extracting rare earths elements ("REE") into leach solution and upgrading titanium ("Ti") into leach residue. Testing was directed by a Qualified Person under Item 1300 of Regulation S-K from Altilium Group Limited. Results demonstrated exceptional REE extraction rates, indicating strong potential amenability for commercial processing.

• Outstanding Rare Earths Extraction: Leaching achieved 97.0% extraction for Magnetic Rare Earths Elements (MREE), 95.2% for Light Rare Earths Elements (LREE), 93.8% for Total Rare Earths Elements plus Yttrium (TREY), and 83.9% for Heavy Rare Earths Elements (HREE);

• Titanium Concentration Upgrade: 97% of the titanium dioxide (TiO₂) reported to the leach residue, concentrating from 13.4% to 26.0%, indicating potential for titanium by-product enrichment; and

• Amenable Mineralization: The Project's mineralization responded strongly to leaching, supporting the potential feasibility of processing the Project's ores for commercial rare earths recovery with titanium recovery as a byproduct.

Metallurgical Extraction Results

A 50 kg composite, considered representative of the mineralization of the Project's Block 1 properties, was processed at the Lakefield, Canada, analytical laboratory of SGS Canada Inc. ("SGS"), a premier mineral evaluation company. Head samples were air-dried, milled to 100% passing 0.5 mm, and subjected to chemical and mineralogical characterization. Two sighter leach tests using nitric acid (HNO₃) were completed:

• Leach 1: Direct acid leach on the as-milled sample.
• Leach 2: Thermal pre-treatment (roasting) followed by acid leach.

Element suites assayed included Al, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, Ga, Mg, Mn, Ni, S, Sc, Si, Ti, and rare earths elements.

The following table summarizes the rare earths extraction rates achieved:

As observed from the table. Leach 2 delivered near-complete extraction of magnetic rare earths elements and strong recoveries across all rare earths groupings.

"These highly encouraging metallurgical results represent a significant step forward for our Alto do Paranaíba Project," stated Marc Fogassa, Chairman and CEO of Atlas Critical Minerals. "Achieving 97% extraction of magnetic rare earths elements is an important milestone. We believe our results to date indicate that the mineralization is amenable to processing, a key factor for the Project's economic potential."

Initial Drilling Campaign Results

An initial auger drilling program across several Project areas comprised 13 holes totaling 144 meters. A total of 178 samples were analyzed, including approximately 22% QA/QC control samples. Drilling intercepted near-surface, high-grade mineralization, including the following highlights:

• DHTI-001: 12m @ 5,961 ppm Total Rare Earths Oxides (TREO); 1,690 ppm Magnetic Rare Earths Oxides (MREO); 13.3% TiO₂
• DHTI-002: 6m @ 7,729 ppm TREO; 2,680 ppm MREO; 12.5% TiO₂
• DHTI-003: 3m @ 4,713 ppm TREO; 1,311 ppm MREO; 12.9% TiO₂
• DHCA-00001: 4.3m @ 4,706 ppm TREO; 1,124 ppm MREO; 15.1% TiO₂
• DHCA-00002: 7m @ 3,442 ppm TREO; 821 ppm MREO; 15.9% TiO₂
• DHCA-00003: 6m @ 3,396 ppm TREO; 812 ppm MREO; 11.2% TiO₂
• DHPM-00002: 6m @ 3,007 ppm TREO; 682 ppm MREO; 14.0% TiO₂
• DHPM-00003: 5m @ 3,129 ppm TREO; 716 ppm MREO; 13.0% TiO₂
• DHLF-00001: 6m @ 3,275 ppm TREO; 754 ppm MREO; 13.8% TiO₂

Surface Sampling Highlights

Surface sampling results from across the Project area demonstrated consistently high grades, including the following highlights:

• 28,870 ppm TREO; 7,493 ppm MREO; 16.5% TiO₂ (Sample STG-000014)
• 16,152 ppm TREO; 3,915 ppm MREO; 6.1% TiO₂ (Sample ATI-089)
• 6,405 ppm TREO; 1,643 ppm MREO; 18.6% TiO₂ (Sample SPJ-00008)
• 5,142 ppm TREO; 1,089 ppm MREO; 23.2% TiO₂ (Sample SVV-00003)

About Atlas Critical Minerals Corporation

Atlas Critical Minerals Corporation (NASDAQ:ATCX) is an exploration and development company focused on critical minerals, including rare earths, graphite, and uranium. The Company's focus is to build a diversified global supply chain for the strategic minerals essential for the artificial intelligence revolution, energy transformation, and defense uses. More information is available at www.atlascriticalminerals.com and in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Altilium Group

Altilium Group is a global industrial technology company, focused on clean, zero-waste, critical mineral extraction processes, supporting the industrial & energy revolution, and the transition to a circular economy. The Group multiple patented hydrometallurgical flowsheets specialize in the recovery of critical minerals, including Al, Fe, Li, Ni, Co, Ti, Mn and REEs, from a variety of ores, in addition to mining process residues, untapping access to previously inaccessible valuable resources, while providing environmental solutions.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based upon the current plans, estimates and projections of Atlas Critical Minerals and its subsidiaries and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Risks related to the Company and its subsidiaries are discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 28, 2025. Please also refer to the Company's other filings with the SEC, all of which are available at www.sec.gov. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent the Company's views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company explicitly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

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