Critical Elements Lithium Corporation reported the identification of new lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatite ("LCT pegmatite") trends following advanced geochemical interpretations made by ALS GoldSpot Discoveries Ltd. ("ALS GoldSpot"), and announces a surface exploration program at Duval, Lemare, Valiquette, Arques, Caumont, Dumoulon, New Block 1 to 6, Rose and Rose Nord properties. Critical Elements has actively explored its Nemaska belt properties (Figure 1) since 2021, which led to the discovery in 2022 of new multi-kilometre-long LCT pegmatite prospective trends on the Company's 100% owned Lemare and Duval properties. Following the 2022 field program, the Company mandated ALS GoldSpot to conduct a geochemical interpretation of the Company's multi-element rock sample data, along with legacy geochemical data, for exploration vectoring.

A total of 3,900 surface rock samples were collected in 2021 and 2022, and then prepared by four-acid digestion and analyzed by ICP-MS61 for 47 elements at ALS Laboratory in Val d'Or. Geochemical vectoring effectively isolated fertile pegmatite suites from unprospective rock samples. ALS GoldSpot applied a signal enhancement and denoising technique coupled with a density-based clustering method on selective immobile elements - lithium, cesium, tantalum elements were not included - to characterize geochemical populations.

This approach isolated a unique geochemical signal associated with mineralized LCT pegmatite without considering lithium, cesium or tantalum as input elements, and resulted in the identification of 162 pegmatite samples. The distribution of fertile LCT pegmatite environments is consistent with interpreted major SW-NE structures that span the Company's Nemaska belt properties (Figure 2). The geochemical approach offers a new outlook on the multi-elements geochemical database to orient early lithium exploration.

The Company announces a surface exploration program focussed on prospecting the identified fertile pegmatite environments. Starting early June, the 12-week program will consist of prospecting, mapping and trenching. The Company has mandated ALS GoldSpot to manage the 2023 exploration program, in collaboration with the Company's teams. Following the surface exploration program, the results will inform a drill program designed to confirm in three dimensions the discovery of new spodumene-bearing pegmatite bodies.

Ludovic Bigot, P. Geo., Senior Project Manager at ALS GoldSpot Discoveries ltd., and Qualified Person under NI 43-101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, has prepared and reviewed the content of this press release.