NIOB Reports Initial Seigneurie REE Assays

North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. has reported first assay results from drill hole SGN-2026-007 at its Seigneurie project. The results confirm the presence of heavy rare earth mineralization, including dysprosium, within a pegmatite-hosted system. The company described these as early-stage results with modest grades that will require additional work to assess economic significance.

A highlighted interval from the hole returned 10.00 metres averaging 76.7 ppm dysprosium oxide (Dy2O3). Another key intercept is a 32.20-metre composite from 7.40 to 39.60 metres downhole, averaging 528 ppm heavy rare earth oxide (HREO). This HREO interval is near surface and is predominantly yttrium oxide, which accounts for about two-thirds of the reported HREO.

Hole SGN-2026-007 was drilled to an approximate total depth of 290 metres with an azimuth of 0° and a dip of 45°. It intersected an approximately 105.45-metre interval of pink-to-red, K-feldspar-dominated pegmatite between 63.85 and 169.3 metres core length. The pegmatite contains 15–20% smoky quartz and Ti-magnetite and hosts both niobium and rare earth mineralization.

Handheld radiometric readings within the pegmatite reportedly reached up to about 1,400 counts per second, though these readings are indicative only. Reported intervals are core (downhole) lengths, and true widths have not yet been determined. True widths are expected to be estimated once the geological model for Seigneurie is updated.

Core samples from SGN-2026-007 were submitted to SGS Canada Inc. for analysis. Rare earth elements were determined by sodium-peroxide-fusion ICP-MS using SGS method GE_IMS91A50. Niobium was analyzed by fused-bead X-ray fluorescence, using method GO_XRF72NB.

Quality assurance and quality control procedures included the insertion of certified reference materials, blanks and field duplicates, which represented about 13% of submitted samples. Core recovery through the mineralized intervals was reported at approximately 95–100%, supporting confidence in the representativeness of the sampling.

An automated mineralogy study using TIMA technology is in progress to determine the mineral hosts and deportment of both rare earth elements and niobium within the Seigneurie pegmatite. This work is intended to clarify how the elements occur in the rock and to inform future exploration and evaluation.

The company stated that further work is required to determine whether the Seigneurie system hosts rare earth or niobium mineralization of economic interest. Chief Executive Officer Murray Nye characterized the outcome by noting that the pegmatite has been shown to carry niobium and rare earth mineralization, including dysprosium. The assay results were released in a press announcement dated July 03–04, 2026.