CleanTech Vanadium Welcomes DOE US$1 Billion Initiative to Secure American Critical Minerals and Materials Supply Chain
CleanTech Vanadium Welcomes DOE US$1 Billion Initiative
to Secure American Critical Minerals and Materials Supply
Chain
Vancouver, British Columbia, September 15, 2025 — CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.
(“CleanTech” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: CTV, OTCQB: CTVFF) is pleased to share that the
U.S. Department of Energy (“ DOE”) announced on August 13, 2025 close to US$1 billion in
forthcoming funding to strengthen domestic critical -minerals and materials supply chains , with
emphasis on critical minerals recovery from mine tailings and other waste streams . In addition,
the U.S. Geological Survey (“ USGS”) released the 2025 List of Critical Minerals, expanding the
list to fifty-four commodities and underscoring the importance of fluorspar, germanium, gallium,
indium, silver, and vanadium to supply-disruption risk to the U.S. economy and national security.1,2
CleanTech intends to pursue DOE (and other federal) funding opportunities with an initial focus
on the Company’s fluorspar and critical-minerals projects spanning more than 8,150 acres in the
Illinois–Kentucky Fluorspar District (“ IKFD”). The Department of Defense (DOD) is currently
funding research work at Hicks Dome project in southern Illinois at IKFD, approximately 3 km
from the Company’s fluorspar project located in Empire sub -district in Pope County IL. DO D
funding includes support for the University of Illinois Urbana –Champaign’s Critical Minerals &
Materials Center to evaluat e the Hicks Dome’s rare earth and fluorspar deposit potential and
advance process-development studies3.
The IKFD historically produced an estimated 30.3 million tons of raw fluorspar4—approximately
90% of total U.S. production during World War II (1939 -1945) when national demand for steel
was high. A review of the relevant literature indicates that significant mine wastes and tailings
remain at the Company’s projects and across the IKFD containing fluorspar, germanium, gallium,
indium, zinc, lead, and silver . Visible tailings and waste dumps are evident from Company site
visits, on Google Maps and LiDAR imagery across the Company’s Babb and Tabb projects in the
southern part of IKFD. Historical records indicate the Babb Fault System produced approximately
145,335 tons of refined fluorspar grading 38% CaF₂ and 1.5% zinc5, while the Tabb Fault System
1 https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-actions-secure-american-critical-
minerals-and-materials-supply
2 https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20251047
3 https://critical-minerals.prairie.illinois.edu/research/
4 https://ilmineswiki.web.illinois.edu/wiki/Circular_604/Geology_of_the_Illinois-Kentucky_Fluorspar_District
5 Adamson, R.S., 1993, Summary report on the West Kentucky fluorite-zinc properties, Livingston and
Crittenden Counties, Kentucky; Hardin County, Illinois: consulting report for Silverspar Minerals Inc., 32 p.
is reported to have produced 2–3 million tons with grade above 30% fluorspar6. These production
figures suggest substantial tailings and waste materials may remain on site.
Past production at the Babb Fault System and the Tabb Fault System are historic in nature and
not indicative of any future potential production or the economic viability of any of the Company’s
projects in the IKFD.
In addition, the Company’s Gibellini vanadium open -pit, heap leach project located in Battle
Mountain district in Nevada is estimated to contain 21.3 million tons grading 0.298% V2O5 (127
million pounds of vanadium pentoxide) in measured and indicated category, with 31.5 million tons
grading 0.31% V2O5 (195 million pounds of vanadium pentoxide) in inferred category. The Gibellini
project may be fast tracked for federal funding given that the Gibellini pit features a strip ratio of
0.4 to 1 , greatly minimizes the mineral extraction cost. The Gibellini project received a positive
EIS Record of Decision from the Bureau of Land Management in October 2023. 7
DOE US$1 Billion Initiative
The DOE has outlined a multi -track funding effort approaching US$1 billion. Specifically, DOE
notices of intent include up to US$500 million from the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply
Chains (“MESC”) for battery-materials processing, manufacturing and recycling; US$250 million
from the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management to by -product recovery at domestic
industrial facilities; up to US$135 million under MESC for a Rare Earth Elements Demonstration
Facility that will test recovery routes f rom mine tailings and other waste streams; about US$50
million for a Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator program tied to refining and alloying steps
in the magnet and semiconductor chain from The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing
Technologies Office; and US$40 million program from The Advanced Research Projects Agency-
Energy to recover critical minerals from industrial wastewater.8,9,10
The U.S. Geological Survey’s 2025 List of Critical Minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey’s 2025 List of Critical Minerals, released on August 25, 2025,
proposes adding potash, silicon, copper, silver, rhenium, and lead while removing arsenic and
tellurium. It also formalizes an economic-effects method that ranks minerals by their probability-
weighted impact on U.S. gross domestic product under trade-disruption scenarios.
6 Honeywell International, 2012, Project Joust interim report, Livingston & Crittenden Counties, Kentucky:
internal report, 47 p
7 For more information on the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the mineral
resource along with the known risks that could materially impact the potential development of the mineral
resource please see the technical report entitled “Gibellini Vanadium Project, Eureka Couty and Nye
County, Nevada, NI 43-101 Technical Report on Mineral Resources” with an effective date of September
27, 2023 a copy of which was filed on SEDAR on February 13, 2024. Mineral Resources that are not
Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
8 https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-actions-secure-american-critical-
minerals-and-materials-supply
9 https://netl-exchange.energy.gov/
10 https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2025/08/doe-announces-4-new-critical-minerals-
funding-opportunities?
The USGS ’ 2025 List of Critical Minerals serves as a technical recommendation to the
Department of the Interior , and, after interagency review, public comment, and further
assessment, the Secretary of the Interior determines and publishes the final list.11
Fluorspar is ranked number 47 by the USGS on probability -weighted GDP impact, with an
estimated US$14 million net decrease in U.S. GDP . Fluorspar is categorized as moderate risk
and recommended for inclusion in the final list of critical minerals. U.S. fluorspar demand is driven
by hydrofluoric acid production for uranium enrichment, battery electrolyte production,
semiconductors, refrigerants, fluoropolymers, aluminum, and defense, while domestic supply
remains almost non-existent. Therefore, recovering fluorspar from legacy mine tailings is strongly
aligned with U.S. supply-chain goals. CleanTech’s review of historical records indicates a material
inventory of legacy tailings across the IKFD that may host fluorspar, silver, germanium, gallium,
and indium, making it a strong candidate for a DOE -focused US$1 billion initiative to remediate
tailings and recover critical minerals.12
Vanadium is ranked number 23 , with an estimated US$ 92 million net decrease in U.S. GDP .
Vanadium is categorized as elevated risk by USGS and recommended for inclusion in the final
list of critical minerals. U.S. vanadium consumption is driven by high-strength steel products with
an accelerating grid -storage demand via vanadium redox flow batteries. With limited primary
domestic production, the DOE plan is to grow U.S. production and processing capacity so that
both battery-grade electrolyte feed and ferrovanadium can be sourc ed at home in the United
States. CleanTech’s plan to advance U.S. vanadium production and processing through the
development of its Gibellini vanadium project is designed to meet that need. 13
Germanium and gallium are ranked numbers 7 and 6, respectively, by the USGS, with estimated
probability-weighted net decreases in U.S. GDP of US$814 million and US$1.4 billion , and both
are categorized high risk and recommended for inclusion in the final list of critical minerals.
Germanium and gallium U.S. exposure is especially acute because it is essential to fiber optics,
infrared optics, and advanced semiconductors and features extensively in the USGS disruption
modeling. Germanium and gallium are pre sent in sphalerite-rich zones of the company’s Tabb
and Babbs projects’ tailings, and, with appropriate processing, they could be recovered to provide
a U.S. supply and reduce dependence on imports.14
Qualified Person
The technical contents of this news release have been prepared under the supervision of Carlos
Zamora, is a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) and a Certified
Professional Geologist (CPG) since 2024. Mr. Zamora is an indepen dent qualified person as
defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.
CleanTech is a mining company focused on critical mineral resources in the USA. The Company
has an option to acquire 8,150 acres of mineral rights with historic Fluorspar resources across
11 https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20251047
12 https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2025/mcs2025-fluorspar.pdf
13 https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/vanadium-statistics-and-information
14 https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/germanium-statistics-and-
information
multiple projects in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District. CleanTech also owns a 100% interest
in the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project in Nevada.
Further information on CleanTech can be found at www.cleantechvanadium.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
“John Lee”
CEO and Director
For more information about CleanTech, please contact:
Phone: 1.877.664.2535
www.cleantechvanadium.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined
in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy
of this release.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release contains “forward -looking information” and “forward -looking statements”
(collectively, “forward -looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws.
Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words “believes,” “may,” “plans,”
“will,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “could”, “estimates”, “expects”, “forecasts”, “projects” and similar
expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Such forward -looking information, which
reflects management’s expectations regarding CleanTech’s future growth, results of operations,
performance, business prospects and opportunities, is based on certain factors and assumptions
and involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results,
performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward -looking information. Forward -looking
information in this news releases includes but is not limited to: CleanTech pursuing DOE funding
opportunities for funding, the presence of substantial tailings and waste at Company’s projects
located in the IKFD , the details of the DOE spending initiatives, the mineral composition of any
tailings across the IKFD, the Company’s plans to advance the Gibellini project in order to meet
the need for battery-grade electrolyte feed and ferrovanadium, the ability to recover germanium
and gallium from the Company’s Tabb and Babbs projects’ tailings.
Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of
CleanTech at the date the statements are made and are based on a number of assumptions and
subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these
assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of CleanTech, there
is no assurance they will prove to be cor rect and are not guarantees of future performance and
actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as a
guarantee of future performance, events or results, and may not be indicative of whether such
events or results will actually be achieved. A number of risks and other factors could cause actual
results to differ materially from expected results discussed in the forward -looking information,
including but not limited to: changes in operating plans; ability to secure sufficient financing to
advance the Company’s project; conditions impacting the Company’s ability to mine at the project,
such as unfavorable weather conditions, development of a mine plan, maintaining existing permits
and receiving any new permits required for the project, and other conditions impacting mining
generally; maintaining cordial business relations with strategic partners and contractual counter-
parties; meeting regulatory requirements and changes thereto; risks inherent to mineral resource
estimation, including uncertainty as to whether mineral resources will be further developed into
mineral reserves; political r isk in the jurisdictions where the Company’s projects are located;
commodity price variation; and general market, industry and economic conditions. Additional risk
factors are set out in the Company’s latest annual and interim management’s discussion and
analysis and annual information form (AIF), available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions by management as of the date
of this news release, and there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with any
forward-looking information included herein. Readers are caution ed that all forward - looking
statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information in this news release
to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date of this news release, except as required
by applicable securities laws.