Cruz Battery Metals Announces Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate on its Solar Lithium Project in Big Smokey Valley, Nevada

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – March 18, 2026) – Cruz Battery Metals Corp. (CSE: CRUZ) (OTCID: BKTPF) (FSE: A40YSN) (“Cruz” or the “Company”) has received its maiden mineral resource estimate for the 100-per-cent-owned Cruz Solar Lithium Clay Deposit in Big Smokey Valley north of Tonopah, Nevada. Using a 300 ppm Li cutoff, the MRE is 50 Mt @ 608 ppm Li for 161,000 indicated tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 183 Mt @ 539 ppm Li for 525,000 inferred tonnes of LCE.

James Nelson, President of Cruz Battery Metals stated, “We appreciate Stantec, a world leader in the industry, preparing our Technical Report and mineral resource estimate for the Solar lithium project in Nevada. Using the 300 ppm Li cut-off, the MRE is 50 Mt @ 608 ppm Li for 161,000 indicated tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 183 Mt @ 539 ppm Li for 525,000 inferred tonnes of LCE.”

Table 1
Lithium Resource Estimates – Metric Units

• CIM definitions are followed for classification of Mineral Resource.
• Mineral Resource surface pit extent has been estimated using a lithium carbonate price of US21,000 US$/tonne and mining cost of US$3.25/tonne for waste, a total processing of US$50.5/tonne, a lithium recovery of 90%, fixed density of 1.70 g/cm³ (1.43 tons/yd³) and 500 ppm cut-off grade.
• Conversions: 1 metric tonne = 1.102 short tons, metric m³ = 1.308 yd³, Li₂CO₃:Li ratio = 5.32, LiOH.H₂O:Li ratio = 6.05
• Totals may not represent the sum of the parts due to rounding.
• The Mineral Resource estimate has been prepared by Joan Kester, PG of Stantec Consulting Services Inc. in conformity with CIM “Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices” guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators NI 43-101. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserve.

Stantec’s base case MRE at a 500 ppm cut-off grade is 35 Mt @ 697 ppm Li for 128,000 indicated tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 103 Mt @ 641 ppm Li for 352,000 inferred tonnes of LCE. The Mineral Resource Estimate has been prepared by Joan Kester, P.Geo of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd. (“Stantec”) in conformity with CIM “Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices” guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators NI 43-101. The Stantec Qualified Person (Joan Kester, P.Geo.) has direct experience in lithium clay exploration projects in Nevada. Joan Kester is the Qualified Person for the American Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LI) (OTCQX: AMLIF) TLC Lithium Project Technical Reports.

Qualified Person

The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Joan Kester, P.Geo., a Stantec qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Cruz Battery Metals Corp.

In Nova Scotia, Cruz has recently acquired the ~5,000-acre ‘South Advocate Hydrogen Project’. Cruz also has the ‘Sterling South Gold/Copper Project’ in Ontario, Canada. In addition, Cruz currently has several battery metals focused projects located in the USA. Cruz’s Nevada lithium projects consist of the 4,938-acre ‘Solar Lithium Project’, the 240-acre ‘Clayton Valley Lithium Brine Project’, and the 580-acre ‘Central Clayton Valley Lithium Brine Project’. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Cruz may not necessarily be indicative of the presence of mineralization on the Company’s properties.

If you would like to be added to Cruz’s news distribution list, please send your email address to info@cruzbatterymetals.com

Cruz Battery Metals Corp.

“James Nelson”

James Nelson
President, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Director

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