Highland Critical Minerals Corp. Commences Exploration Program at Its Sy Property

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 7, 2025) - Highland Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: HLND) (FSE: U8X) ("Highland" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it set to begin an exploration program at its Sy Property, located in Nunavut Canada, further described below.

Sy Property

The Sy Property is located in the Yathkyed Lake Greenstone Belt ("YLGB"). Similar Archean aged greenstone belts in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut have seen more exploration activity than the YLGB. These other nearby greenstone belts have similar geology and also host numerous gold and other base metal occurrences that include the Ferguson Lake Cu-Ni-PGM resource, Meadowbabk and Meliadine gold deposits. The aforementioned gold deposits are in structurally altered Banded-Iron Formations ("BIF"). Scheduled to begin later in October, the Company's exploration program will consist of a thorough review and compilation of the existing geological and geophysical data as well as identifying and locating additional targets, the purpose of which will to be to determine the Company's next steps in its exploration program including a review of the existing claims footprint. Also included in the Company's planned exploration activities is an on-site geophysics program, which, subject to weather constraints, is designed to identify any gold mineralization in the BIF.

Highland Red Lake Gold Corp.

The Company's current exploration program, conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Highland Red Lake Gold Corp. is currently ongoing. This exploration work has been focused on demonstrating lode gold potential through geological mapping, prospecting and rock sampling, and a drone based airborne magnetic and LiDAR survey. As previously announced on July 11, 2025, the Company entered into an option agreement to earn a 100% interest in mining claims on a property comprising 3,366 hectares in the Red Lake Gold Camp (the "RLG Claims"). For further details, please see the Company's news release dated July 11, 2025.

Bayside Geoscience completed a geological mapping and prospecting campaign at the end of August, and a total of 60 grab samples were collected across the RLG Claims. Assay results from this sampling are expected to be received in Q4 of 2025. Rosor Exploration successfully completed a drone-based LiDAR and magnetic survey at the end of September and final results and products are expected to be received in Q4 2025 as well. The results of these programs will be incorporated into a plan for future work programs on the RLG Claims.

Church Property

The Church Property is located in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, approximately 16 kilometres west northwest of Nipigon, Ontario and 89 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is situated within the Church, Hele, and Booth townships of the Thunder Bay Mining Division. The Company’s completed exploration program consisted of a Mobile Metal Ion soil sampling program, designed to identify lithium anomalies on areas of the property where field crews have established there is no exposed bedrock.  While the Company did not identify any significant anomalies in the survey area, the results obtained are currently being analyzed to determine the next phase of exploration at the Church Property.  Given weather and ground conditions, the Company expects that a follow up field-based exploration program at the Church Property will begin in the spring of 2026. 

Corporate update

The Company is pleased to announce that during the three-month period ended September 30, 2025, the Company issued 1,087,500 common shares in the share capital of the Company, through the exercise of warrants, resulting in gross proceeds of $163,125. These funds will be used to continue to fund the Company's exploration activities, the previously announced plan of arrangement for the spin out of Highland Red Lake Gold Corp., general working capital purposes, and to identify new acquisitions.

Ted Yew, CEO of Highland, commented, "We are extremely pleased to have the support of our shareholders who through the exercising of warrants have provided additional funds for us to continue our exploration programs given the current robust gold environment. We are looking forward to providing the market with an update on exploration activities at both Sy and Red Lake in the coming months."

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information in this news release related to the Sy Property has been reviewed and approved by Carey Galeschuk, who is a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr. Richardson is an independent consultant to Highland.

The scientific and technical information in this news release related to Highland Red Lake Gold Corp. and the Church Property has been reviewed and approved by Mark Richardson, P.Geo., who is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Richardson is an independent consultant to Highland.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), or any securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless registered under the 1933 Act and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements is available.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities.

ABOUT HIGHLAND CRITICAL MINERALS CORP.

Highland is a mineral exploration and development company. Its activities consist of acquiring and exploring, mining properties to enhance shareholder value as it proceeds with the exploration work on the Church Property among other mining properties it may acquire and develop.

For more information, please visit https://highlandcritical.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: the planned commencement, scope, timing and objectives of the exploration program at the Sy Property, including the review and compilation of historical data and the proposed on-site geophysics program; the expected timing for receipt of assay results and final deliverables from programs at the Red Lake property and the use of such results to design future work; the timing and nature of any follow-up work at the Church Property, including a potential spring 2026 program; the Company's ability to advance its existing properties, secure additional mineral property interests and complete potential acquisitions; the intended use of proceeds from recent warrant exercises; and corporate initiatives, including the previously announced plan of arrangement regarding Highland Red Lake Gold Corp. and the receipt of any required regulatory approvals in connection therewith.

Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "intends", "estimates", "anticipates", "believes", "targets" or the negative forms of these words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including, without limitation: access to sites and the availability of equipment, personnel and contractors; the timing and results of exploration activities (including sampling, mapping and geophysical surveys); the ability to obtain required permits and approvals on satisfactory terms and in a timely manner; commodity prices and exchange rates; general business and economic conditions; that no significant disruptions (including adverse weather or other force majeure events) will occur; and that sufficient capital will be available to fund planned activities.

Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: that exploration, sampling and geophysical results may not be indicative of future results; operational risks inherent in mineral exploration; weather and seasonal access constraints; risks related to title, claims and permitting; environmental, Indigenous and community relations matters; reliance on key personnel and third-party contractors; changes in laws, regulations and policies; metal price and currency volatility; the availability of financing on acceptable terms; and the risk that required regulatory or other approvals (including stock exchange approvals) are delayed or not obtained.

Although the Company 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. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company 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. Additional information relating to the Company, including its long-form prospectus dated May 9, 2025, can be located on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

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