Critical One Energy Drills 4.0 Meters of 70.2% Antimony at Howells Lake Project
Critical One Energy Drills 4.0 Meters of 70.2%
Antimony at Howells Lake Project
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 15, 2026) -
Critical One Energy Inc.
(CSE: CRTL) (OTCQB:
MMTLF) (FSE: 4EF) ("
Critical One
" or the "
Company
") is pleased to announce assay results from
drilling at its flagship
Howells Lake Antimony-Gold Project
("Howells Lake Project") located
approximately 120 kilometres west of the Ring of Fire access corridor in Ontario, Canada. Drilling
intersected
4.0 metres (m) of massive stibnite grading 70.2% antimony (Sb)
from drill hole HWL-
2026-006 ("Hole 6"). The 4.0 m core length occurs within a broader 8.0 m interval grading 42.2% Sb. A
second intercept of 7.3 m grading 1.62% Sb was also intersected. The 4.0 m of high-grade drill core
approaches the chemical composition of pure stibnite, which is 71.7% Sb.
Highlights:
Two mineralized zones were identified:
8.0 m of 42.2% Sb, including 4.0 m of 70.2% Sb in the
form of massive stibnite, and a deeper zone with 7.3 m of 1.62% Sb.
Near-pure stibnite:
pure stibnite is 71.7 wt% Sb. The 4.0 m massive sulphide sits near that
ceiling in modern drill core.
Opens the opportunity for
Direct Shipping Ore
to North American military and industrial buyers, a
supply route the West does not currently have.
All eight holes drilled to date near the historic Howells Lake East Antimony Zone intersected visible
antimony-bearing stibnite mineralization. Further assays will be released as they are received.
Figure 1.
Close-up photos of interval 81 m to 85 m from
Hole 6
that features massive antimony-bearing
stibnite. Representative sample (A) shows a fractured cross-section of NQ drill core. Representative
sample (B) shows outside of the split NQ drill core. Howells Lake Project, May 2026.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12034/297737_b72232ada4bcda0d_001full.jpg
Figure 2.
Drill
Hole 6
from 79 m to 87 m returned 42.2% antimony over 8 m of core length. Howells Lake
Project, May 2026.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12034/297737_b72232ada4bcda0d_002full.jpg
Figure 3.
Drill
Hole 6
from 114.7 m to 122 m returned 1.62% antimony over 7.3 m of core length.
Howells Lake Project, May 2026.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12034/297737_b72232ada4bcda0d_003full.jpg
"Hole 6 is the proof of concept we needed," said Duane Parnham, Founder, Executive Chairman and
CEO of Critical One. "It demonstrates that our Howells Lake Project has the grade and purity to be a
strategically meaningful North American antimony source. In our view, the Howells Lake Project is
proving itself to be one of the most impressive high-grade antimony deposits in North America, and this
stands among the most significant Canadian mineral discoveries since Hemlo Gold, with more still to be
uncovered."
Parnham continued, "I also wish to extend our appreciation for the strong support of our valued partner,
EFN, for the Howells Lake Project. Eabametoong First Nation's spiritual guidance, commitment and
partnership play a vital role in advancing this important initiative, and we are grateful for their continued
backing and collaboration."
Figure 4.
Locations of drill collars at the Howells Lake Project. The alteration zone (green outline) is a
trace to surface of historic and recently identified sericite-fuchsite alteration, which is associated with
antimony-gold mineralization. Coordinates are in UTM zone 16.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12034/297737_b72232ada4bcda0d_004full.jpg
Table 1. Preliminary Results from HWL-2026-006
Note: Reported intervals represent drilled lengths; true widths have not been estimated due to
insufficient geological information. Assays are pending from 122 m to the end of the hole at 306 m.
Drill Hole ID
From (m)
To (m)
Length
(m)
Sb
(%)
HWL-2026-006
(165°/-50°)
79.0
80.0
1.0
32.3
80.0
81.0
1.0
4.6
81.0
82.0
1.0
53.4
82.0
83.0
1.0
74.3
83.0
84.0
1.0
76.6
84.0
85.0
1.0
76.6
85.0
85.5
0.5
34.8
85.5
86.0
0.5
2.1
86.0
87.0
1.0
1.1
Composite
79.0
87.0
8.0
42.2
HWL-2026-006
(165°/-50°)
114.7
115.6
0.9
3.01
115.6
116.2
0.6
0.50
116.2
117.0
0.8
0.95
117.0
118.0
1.0
1.41
118.0
119.0
1.0
2.08
119.0
120.0
1.0
1.82
120.0
121.0
1.0
1.63
121.0
122.0
1.0
1.15
Composite
114.7
122.0
7.3
1.62
Upcoming Live Webinar - May 19, 2026
Critical One will host a live investor webinar on
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
,
where management will discuss the significance of this discovery and take live questions.
Investors, analysts, brokers, media, and other participants are invited to attend the live webinar at the
following registration link:
https://my.demio.com/ref/CYETYZyNBbI04rkj
.
A replay will be available to registered participants shortly following the live event.
QA/QC and Sampling Procedures
Samples of NQ diamond drill core were sawed at Critical One Energy's operations base in Thunder Bay,
Ontario. One-half of the core was retained for reference and one-half was added to sample bags in
intervals no greater than 1.0 meter. Blanks of crushed pure-quartz aggregate, antimony-gold standards,
and duplicates were inserted every 20 samples. Laboratory "Barren Wash" was completed during
crushing and pulverizing, and additional blanks were inserted after visible high-grade antimony and/or
visible gold. Samples, standards, and blanks were bagged, tagged, and delivered to AGAT
Laboratories in Thunder Bay, Ontario where samples are crushed and prepared for analysis in Calgary,
Alberta. Gold was analyzed by fire assay with ICP-OES finish on 50 g samples (202-552). Antimony and
30 additional elements were analyzed by sodium peroxide fusion and ICP-OES finish (201-079).
Overlimit (>5% Sb) antimony analyses were reanalyzed by pressed-pellet wavelength-dispersive XRF
(11321). Results above 5% Sb are reported as WDXRF and should be considered semi-quantitative
data that will require confirmatory mineralogical and fully calibrated chemical analyses where definitive
compositional determination is attained. Sulphur content can be reported low by XRF which can result in
a high reporting of antimony. Comparison of methods used are found in Table 2. AGAT Laboratories
holds key accreditations, including ISO/IEC 17025:2017, from the Standards Council of Canada (SCC),
the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA), ANSI National Accreditation Board
(ANAB), and the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).
Table 2. Comparative analyses of Sb and S for overlimit Sb samples.
Drill Hole ID
From
To
Peroxide ICP-OES
XRF
Sb
S
Sb
S
HWL-2026-006
(165°/-50°)
(m)
(m)
%
%
%
%
79
80
7.33
7.22
32.3
12.7
81
82
14.7
19
53.4
19.7
82
83
18.1
30.1
74.3
25
83
84
10.3
28.8
76.6
22.7
84
85
9.28
29.7
76.6
23
85
85.5
9.49
8.93
34.8
14.1
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved
by Matthew Trenkler, P. Geo., Chief Geological Officer of Critical One Energy Inc., a "Qualified Person",
as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Verification
included a review of laboratory assay certificates, drill logs, chain-of-custody records,
blank/standard/duplicate statistics, and review of collar and down-hole survey data. No QA/QC failures
were identified.
About Critical One Energy Inc.
Critical One Energy Inc. is a Canadian critical minerals and upstream energy company focused on
metals essential to energy, technology and national defence supply chains. The Company is advancing
the Howells Lake Antimony-Gold Project, which provides Critical One with direct exposure to antimony, a
critical mineral of increasing strategic importance to Western nations, as well as meaningful gold
exploration potential across the property. Backed by seasoned management expertise, Critical One is
positioned to advance high-value mineral projects aligned with the rising demand for secure critical
minerals supply. The Company also holds uranium and copper assets in Namibia, providing additional
exposure to critical minerals and energy metals.
Additional information about Critical One Energy Inc. can be found at
criticaloneenergy.com
and on the
Company's
SEDAR+ profile
at
www.sedarplus.ca
.
For further information, please contact:
Duane Parnham
Executive Chairman & CEO
Critical One Energy Inc.
+1 (416) 489-0092
Media inquiries:
Adam Bello
Manager, Media & Analyst Relations
Primoris Group Inc.
+1 (416) 489-0092
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor CIRO accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
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