Core Critical Metals Corp. Announces Acquisition of the Advanced Lucky Mike Silver-Copper-Tungsten Project
#1245 – 200 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2S4
1397-5334-4017, v. 2
Core Critical Metals Corp. Announces Acquisition of the
Advanced Lucky Mike Silver-Copper-Tungsten Project
Vancouver, British Columbia / February 19, 2026 – Core Critical Metals Corp. (“CCMC” or
the “Company”) (TSXV :CCMC) (OTCPK:CCMCF) (WKN:A41G8G) , a North American mineral
acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce t hat, subject to the approval of the TSX
Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”), it has executed an arm’s length option agreement dated February 18,
2026 (the “Option Agreement”), for the right to purchase an up to an eighty percent (80%) interest in the
Lucky Mike Silver-Copper-Tungsten property (the “Property” or “Lucky Mike” or “LMSL”) from First
Atlantic Nickel Corp. (TSXV:FAN)(“FAN”).
The Lucky Mike Property consists of 37 claims totaling approximately 7,675 hectares and is an advanced
exploration project located roughly equal distance between Kamloops and Merritt, BC, adjacent to the
major Coquihalla Highway near the Surrey Lake summit.
Property Highlights
• Prime Location in a Safe Jurisdiction: LMSL is situated in British Columbia's premier copper
porphyry and gold mining belt, offering access to established mining infrastructure.
• Strategic Proximity to Major Operations : LMSL is located adjacent to Teck's Highland Valley
Copper Mine (Canada's largest, producing 127,000 tonnes of copper in 20251), on trend with New
Gold's New Afton and Copper Mountain Mine, enhancing discovery odds in a high-success area2.
Teck recently announced its mine life extension plan for Highland Valley, moving the mine's
closure date from 2028 out to 2046 with a capital investment of $2.1 to $2.4 billion, making it the
largest critical minerals investment in B.C. history.
• Significant Historic Copper Resource: Hosts a 7 3.5 million tonne historic estimate at 0.2 7%
CuEq equating to approximately 402 million pounds of contained copper3,4,5.
• Strong Tungsten Potential: In 1943 the Strategic Metals Committee part of the Wartime
investigation for Tungsten drilled 14 diamond drill holes over a 100 metre strike length. Eight
holes intersected a weighted average of 0.312% WO3 over an average width of 25 feet5.
• Untapped Exploration Upside: Features a 7 -kilometer skarn alteration footprint indicating
multiple porphyry centers, with AI analysis identifying high-priority, untested targets for potential
grade improvements at depth.
• High-Grade Intercepts and Showings : Historic drilling identified 5.4% Cu in samples and 789
meters at 0.16% Cu, plus volcanic breccias up to 0.4% Cu, signaling strong mineralization
potential.
• Drill-Ready and Permitted: Fully permitted with new targets verified by independent AI, ready
for immediate drilling to vector toward porphyry cores and expand resources.
• Excellent Infrastructure Access: Benefits from a well -developed network of logging roads,
proximity to power, water, and local labor in the Nicola Mining District, just 20 km north of Merritt.
• Experienced Management Team: Led by a skilled group with decades in exploration, finance,
and operations, including recent porphyry discoveries and successful fundraising for value creation.
• District-Scale Potential: Controls a large 120+ square kilometer land package with cluster -style
mineralization, positioned between recent discoveries by Tower Resources and Kodiak Copper.
#1245 – 200 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2S4
1397-5334-4017, v. 2
Figure 1 - Project location map1.
#1245 – 200 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2S4
1397-5334-4017, v. 2
Terms of the Agreement
Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Company may acquire up to an 80% interest in and to the Property
by completing the payments and qualified expenditures set out in the table below:
Period Due Date Shares/Cash Cash
Qualified
Expenditures
Amount
Earn-In
First Option
Earn-in
Requirements
On the Effective Date of
the Agreement - $150,000 -
CCMC earns
70% only upon
completion of
all First Option
Earn-in
Requirements
(including the
$6,000,000
Qualified
Expenditure
requirement)
On or before the first
(1st) anniversary of the
Effective Date of the
Agreement
- - $300,000
On or before the second
(2nd) anniversary of the
Effective Date of the
Agreement
$200,0001 - -
On or before the third
(3rd) anniversary of the
Effective Date of the
Agreement
$300,0001 - -
On or before the fifth
(5th) anniversary of the
Effective Date of the
Agreement
- - $5,700,000
Second Option
Earn-in
Requirement
On or before the tenth
(10th) anniversary of the
Effective Date of the
Agreement
- - $10,000,0002
CCMC earns an
additional 10%
(total 80%)
only upon
completion of
all Second
Option Earn-in
Requirements
Total $500,000 $150,000 $16,000,000 80%
Notes
1. CCMC will issue shares or pay cash at its election. Any common shares will be issued based
on the volume weighted average price of the 10 trading days preceding CCMC’s notification
to FAN of its decision to issue shares.
2. The $10,000,000 Qualified Expenditure requirement due on or before the tenth (10th)
anniversary is in addition to (and not inclusive of) the $5,700,000 Qualified Expenditure
requirement due on or before the fifth (5th) anniversary.
The Property is subject to an existing 2% net smelter returns (“NSR”) royalty.
#1245 – 200 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2S4
1397-5334-4017, v. 2
Following completion of the second option (earning an 80% interest) , FAN and CCMC will enter into a
Joint Venture agreement (“JV”). Under the terms of the JV , each of FAN and CCMC will be responsible
for their pro rata share of exploration expenditures at the Property with CCMC remaining the operator of
the Property.
In the event that FAN elects not to contribute its pro rata share, its participating interest shall be diluted. If,
as a result of such dilution, FAN’s participating interest is reduced to ten percent (10%) or less (the
“Conversion Threshold ”), FAN shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the JV and its remaining
participating interest shall be automatically converted into a 3% NSR royalty with a 2% buyback for
$7,500,000 (the “Dilution Royalty”). Upon such conversion, FAN shall have no further right to participate
in the Property, nor any obligation to contribute to future expenditures.
Notwithstanding the above, CCMC shall, at its sole cost, fund one hundred percent (100%) of all expenditures
approved in the annual work program and budget for the Property until the delivery of a Feasibility Study
(the “Carry End Date”).
FAN shall not be required to contribute any capital to the J V prior to the Carry End Date, and its
participating interest shall not be subject to dilution during such period.
No finder’s fees are payable on this transaction.
Qualified Person
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Deepak Varshney, P.Geo.,
Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company, who is a “Qualified Person” as defined by National
Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).
About Core Critical Metals Corp.
Core Critical Metals Corp. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on
the development of quality critical metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion
potential.
CORE CRITICAL METALS CORP.
Deepak Varshney, CEO and Director
For more information, please call 778-899 -1780, email [email protected] or visit
www.xanderresources.com.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of
the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Notes and References:
1. https://www.teck.com/news/news-releases/2026/teck-announces-2025-production-and-sales-
update-and-reaffirms-outlook.
2. Readers are cautioned that the geology of nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the
geology of the Property.
3. The above referenced resource estimates do not have a category, are considered historical in nature,
and are based on prior data prepared by a previous property owner, and do not conform to current
CIM categories.
#1245 – 200 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2S4
1397-5334-4017, v. 2
A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current
resources in accordance with current CIM categories and the Company is not treating the historical
estimates as a current resource.
Significant data compilation, re -drilling, re-sampling and data verification may be required by a
qualified person before the historical estimates can be classified as current resources. There can be
no assurance that any of the historical mineral resources, in whole or in part, will ever become
economically viable. In addition, mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have
demonstrated economic viability. The Company is not aware of any more recent estimates prepared
for the Property.
4. Sookochoff, L (1974), Memo - Resource Estimate, W.A. Dexter & Le Bourgh; R. Tough &
Associates Ltd.; BC Property File No. 10721.
5. Smyth, W.R. (1985), Memo – Rey Lake Copper Deposit, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum
Resources; BC Property File No. 10719.
6. Turner, J. (2013), Technical Report NI43 -101 for the Lucky Mike Copper -Tungsten Property,
Merritt, BC, Nicola Mining District; Plate Resources Inc.; 80 pages.
Forward-looking statements:
This news release contains “forward -looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward -
looking statements are statements that are not histori cal facts and are generally identified by words such
as “expects”, “plans”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “may”, “will”, “should”,
“could” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not
limited to, statements regarding: the Company’ s ability to satisfy the cash and/or share payment obligations
and incur the required expenditures to earn an interest in the Lucky Mike Property under the Option
Agreement; the timing and likelihood of the Compa ny earning an initial 70% interest and an additional
10% interest; the timing and terms for formation of a JV following completion of the earn-in; the Company’ s
proposed exploration and development plans and potential work programs on the Property (including any
drill programs or target generation initiatives); the use and expected benefits of any data analytics or
artificial intelligence-supported targeting; and the potential to validate, expand upon or otherwise advance
any historic mineral resource estimate or historic exploration results referenced in this news release.
Forward-looking statements are based on management’ s reasonable assumptions, estimates and opinions
as of the date of this news release. Such assumptions include, without limitation: t hat the Company will
obtain all required approvals, including acceptance by the Exchange ,, and that the Company will be able
to complete any share issuances contemplated under the Option Agreement subject to Exchange
acceptance; that the Company will be able to access required funding on acceptable terms; that the
Company will be able to obtain all necessary corporate, regulatory and stock exchange approvals; that the
Company will be able to carry out exploration activities as planned; that exploration results will be
consistent with management’ s expectations; that contractors and service providers will perform as
expected; and that general business and economic conditions will remain supportive of the Company’ s
plans.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may
cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that the Company is unable
to complete payments or incur required expenditures under the O ption Agreement, resulting in the loss of
the option; risks that required approvals, including acceptance by the Exchange, are de layed or not
obtained, and that any share issuances may be subject to additional conditions or may not be completed on
#1245 – 200 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2S4
1397-5334-4017, v. 2
the timeline anticipated; financing risk and equity market volatility; the risk that required regulatory or
stock exchange approvals are delayed or not obtained; exploration risk, including the risk that exploration
results are not as anticipated or do not support further advanceme nt of the Property; risks related to the
interpretation of exploration data and the reliability of any historic information; risks associated with the
use of new technologies and data-driven methods; operational risks and hazards; environmental risks and
liabilities; permitting and land access risks; changes in laws, regulations and government policies;
community and Indigenous relations risks; commodity price fluctuations; and general business, economic,
competitive, political and social uncertainties.
The Company is an exploration-stage issuer and does not currently have mineral reserves. Exploration is
speculative, requires substantial expenditures and may not result in the discovery of economically
recoverable mineralization. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to
be accurate, as actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to
update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.