Critical Elements Hires Director of Investor Relations and Communications

MONTRÉAL, QC / ACCESS Newswire / August 27, 2026 / Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSX-V:CRE)(OTCQX:CRECF)(FSE:F12) ("Critical Elements"or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the appointment of Karl Mansour as Director of Investor Relations and Communications. Mr. Mansour brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial markets to Critical Elements Lithium Corporation. Throughout his career, he spent many years with a firm specializing in strategic communications and capital markets visibility, working with publicly traded companies to strengthen their presence within the financial and investment communities. He holds a degree in Finance from Université Laval and pursued graduate studies in Finance at HEC Montréal. In parallel with his career in the financial markets, he has been teaching Finance at Collège LaSalle since 2023.

"We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Mansour to our team. In his capacity as Director of Investor Relations and Communications, we are confident that the Corporation will greatly benefit from his extensive experience, strong network of relationships, and his long-term familiarity with the Corporation," commented Jean-Sébastien Lavallée, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

Effective investor relations and communications are recognized as an important component of the Corporation's strategy going forward. Mr. Mansour is well-suited to serve as Director of Investor Relations and Communications and a service agreement with Gestion Karl Mansour Inc. has been signed for a term of 12 months, which may be renewed upon expiry. Monthly fees have been set at $10,000. In addition, Gestion Karl Mansour Inc. will receive 200,000 stock options, each entitling the holder to acquire one common share of the Corporation at an exercise price of $0.39 per share for a period of 24 months. The options will vest over a 12-month period at a rate of 25% of the options per quarter. The options are being granted in accordance with the Exchange's Policy 4.4 and the terms and conditions of the Corporation's current Omnibus Incentive Plan. The appointment of Mr. Mansour and the stock option grant remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The management of Critical Elements remains focused on delivery of a project financing package for the Rose Lithium-Tantalum Project ("Rose" or the "Project") that includes neither excessive equity dilution nor burdens the Corporation with unnecessary financial risk. The Project remains one of the most advanced hardrock lithium projects in North America, with key major permits required for development, a formal agreement with its Cree neighbours, conditional $20 million in funding from the Canadian Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, and a support letter from a leading Canadian financial institution stating its interest in providing long term debt financing of up to US$115 million. Management continues to be grateful to Québec's Minister of Natural Resources and Forests for their continued support as the province develops its battery supply chain ecosystem for the future.

About Critical Elements Lithium Corporation

Critical Elements aspires to become a large, responsible supplier of lithium to the flourishing electric vehicle and energy storage system industries. To this end, Critical Elements is advancing the wholly-owned, high-purity Rose Lithium-Tantalum project in Québec, the Corporation's first lithium project to be advanced within a land portfolio of over 1,016 km². On August 29, 2023, the Corporation announced results of a new Feasibility Study on Rose for the production of spodumene concentrate. The after-tax internal rate of return for the Project is estimated at 65.7%, with an estimated after-tax net present value of US$2.2B at an 8% discount rate. In the Corporation's view, Québec is strategically well-positioned for US and EU markets and boasts good infrastructure including a low-cost, low-carbon power grid featuring 94% hydroelectricity. The project has received approval from the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the recommendation of the Joint Assessment Committee, comprised of representatives from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Cree Nation Government, received the Certificate of Authorization under the Environment Quality Act from the Québec Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, and the project mining lease from the Québec Minister of Natural Resources and Forests under the Québec Mining Act.

For further information, please contact:

Jean-Sébastien Lavallée, P. Geo.
Chief Executive Officer
819-354-5146
jslavallee@cecorp.ca
www.cecorp.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is described in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary statement concerning forward-looking statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian Securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "scheduled", "anticipates", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "scheduled", "targeted", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information contained herein include, without limitation, statements relating to expectations regarding Rose project-level activities, notably, (i) completion of the permitting and authorization process, and completion of the work related thereto (ii) securing a strategic partnership and project financing leading to a Final Investment Decision and (iii) respecting the Rose project ramp up and commissioning timeline, expectations regarding potential value creation from ongoing and future exploration activities on the Corporation's projects, and the Corporation's ongoing business plan. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that fundamentals of lithium / spodumene demand and EV market growth and capacity will continue to be strong, that project financing will be available on reasonable terms, and that governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Corporation's development activities and planned exploration will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Corporation in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

Although Critical Elements has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, reliance on key management and other personnel, potential downturns in (i) general economic conditions, (ii) demand for lithium / spodumene and (iii) EV market growth, capacity and demand, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, risks generally associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals, as well as those risk factors set out in the Corporation's Management Discussion and Analysis for its most recent quarter ended May 31, 2026 and other disclosure documents available under the Corporation's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca).

Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Critical Elements Lithium Corp.