Japan announced that it has successfully retrieved mineral-rich seabed sediment from nearly 6,000 meters below the ocean surface near the remote island of Minamitorishima, a technical milestone officials say could help reduce the country’s dependence on China.

The operation was carried out by the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu, which collected the sediment as part of a government-backed test program aimed at assessing the feasibility of mining rare-earth-bearing mud from the deep ocean.

According to Japan’s Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, the Chikyu departed last month for Minamitorishima—about 1,950 kilometers southeast of Tokyo—and arrived at the test site on January 17. The first batch of sediment was recovered on February 1.

“It is a first step toward industrialization of domestically produced rare earth in Japan,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a statement posted on X. “We will make efforts toward achieving resilient supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals to avoid overdependence on a particular country.”

Rare earth elements are essential components in high-performance magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, electronics and defense systems.

China currently dominates global production and processing of heavy rare earths, giving Beijing significant influence over prices and supply, a vulnerability that has increasingly worried world governments.

Japan’s latest test comes amid heightened geopolitical tension in the region. Tokyo has grown more concerned about potential supply disruptions after China recently suspended exports of certain dual-use goods to Japan.

While rare earths were not explicitly named, the move raised fears that Beijing could use its control over critical minerals as leverage.

Japanese researchers first identified rare-earth-rich mud deposits around Minamitorishima in the 2010s. Since then, the government has funded research, development and feasibility studies under its Strategic Innovation Promotion Program, focusing on whether those resources could support a domestic supply chain.

The current trial is designed to test not only the ability to retrieve sediment from extreme depths, but also the logistics of deep-sea mining.

Officials cautioned that the work is still at an early stage. Details such as the concentration of rare earth elements in the retrieved mud and the overall recovery rates are still being analyzed. Moving toward commercial production would require demonstrating the entire process, from seabed extraction to separation and refining.

Japan has said it plans to continue testing through mid-February. If the trials are successful, larger-scale demonstrations could follow, potentially including the construction of a dedicated processing facility on Minamitorishima later this decade.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

President Donald Trump is preparing to launch a US$12 billion strategic stockpile of critical minerals aimed at accelerating the administration’s efforts to reduce the US dependence on China for key raw materials.

Known as Project Vault, the initiative will combine up to US$10 billion in long-term financing from the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) with roughly US$2 billion in private capital.

Under the plan, Project Vault will procure and store minerals such as gallium, cobalt, lithium, rare earth elements and other strategically important materials used in products ranging from electric vehicles and batteries to smartphones, jet engines, and advanced defense systems.

Furthermore, the plan is also structured as an independently governed public-private partnership. Participating manufacturers will commit in advance to purchase specific quantities of materials at predetermined inventory prices and pay upfront fees.

In return, the project will acquire and store those materials on their behalf, charging a carrying cost tied to loan interest and storage expenses. Companies will be allowed to draw down their inventories as long as they replenish them, while retaining full access in the event of a major supply disruption.

A key feature of the design is a repurchase commitment: manufacturers that agree to buy a set amount of material at a given price also commit to repurchase the same amount at that price in the future. The administration views this as a stabilizing mechanism that could dampen extreme price swings in critical mineral markets.

Administration officials said the effort gained urgency after Beijing tightened export controls on certain critical materials last year, forcing some US manufacturers to scale back production and highlighting the extent of China’s leverage over global supply chains.

China currently dominates both the mining and processing of many critical minerals, giving it significant influence over prices and availability.

The EXIM Bank’s board is scheduled to vote on authorizing the 15-year, US$10 billion loan, which would be the largest financing deal in the agency’s history, more than double its previous record.

“Project Vault is designed to support domestic manufacturers from supply shocks, support US production and processing of critical raw materials, and strengthen America’s critical minerals sector,” EXIM Chairman John Jovanovic said in the announcement.

More than a dozen companies have already signed on, according to officials. Participants include automakers and industrial giants such as General Motors (NYSE:GM), Stellantis NV (NYSE:STLA), The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s Google.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Critical Mineral Resources plc (“CMR”, “Company”) is pleased to report that following the recently completed and heavily oversubscribed fundraise, diamond drilling with two rigs is ramping-up over the coming weeks as the weather improves. Drilling during H1 is designed to produce Agadir Melloul’s maiden resource estimate, targeted for publication in early Q3 2026.

Key Highlights

• Accelerated drill programme at Agadir-Melloul
• Two diamond rigs ramping-up to two shifts per day each
• 20 holes planned per month from mid-February
• Agadir Melloul’s maiden resource estimate targeted for Q3 2026

Fig.1 Company’s diamond rig at Agadir Melloul

Source: Company

Charlie Long CEO commented:

“With two rigs now turning, we anticipate an extremely productive drill programme and for an internal maiden resource to be modelled by late Q2 and for the JORC compliant resource estimate to be published in early Q3.

Drilling has been intermittent in recent weeks due to inclement weather. This week both rigs are operating on day shifts, and once the weather improves night shifts will be introduced. From then on we should be drilling 20 holes per month equating to approximately 1,000m.

For a near-surface project like this, metres drilled is less important than the number of holes drilled. Each hole will range from 20m to 50m depth, with the occasional deeper hole to drill-test the basement as we continue the hunt for mineralised rhyolite.

It’s worth reiterating that near-surface mineralisation is quite unusual and a huge economic advantage in terms of opex, upfront capex, reserve development capex and ongoing sustaining capex”.

ENDS

Notes To Editors

Critical Mineral Resources (CMR) PLC is an exploration and development company focused on developing assets that produce critical minerals for the global economy, including those essential for electrification and the clean energy revolution. Many of these commodities are widely recognised as being at the start of a supply and demand super cycle.

CMR is building a diversified portfolio of high-quality metals exploration and development projects in Morocco, focusing on copper, silver and potentially other critical minerals and metals. CMR identified Morocco as an ideal mining-friendly jurisdiction that meets its acquisition and operational criteria. The country is perfectly located to supply raw materials to Europe and possesses excellent prospective geology, good infrastructure and attractive permitting, tax and royalty conditions.

The Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (CMRS.L). More information regarding the Company can be found at www.cmrplc.com

Source

Seegnal Inc. (TSXV: SEGN), a global leader in clinical decision support solutions applying patient-centric medication safety standards, today announced its deepened partnership with Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (‘Sourasky Medical Center’). Israel’s second-largest public hospital, Sourasky Medical Center (which treats over 1.5 million patients annually, according to its website here), has expanded its use of Seegnal’s Prescription Intelligence Platform to further enhance clinical decision-making.

The expanded deployment period effectively began on January 1, 2026 and runs through December 31, 2027, with an option to extend the engagement through December 31, 2031. Under the agreement, Seegnal’s prescription intelligence platform will support approximately 1,200 clinicians and 2,050 medical team members, who will use the system on a daily basis as part of routine clinical workflows.

Pursuant to the expanded deployment, Seegnal’s patented platform is used across multiple departments at Sourasky Medical Center, supporting physicians and care teams with real-time, patient-specific medication decision support at the point of care. The expanded deployment enables a consistent patient-centric medication safety standard across inpatient and outpatient settings, while maintaining clinical efficiency and minimizing alert fatigue.

Sourasky Medical Center is widely recognized for clinical excellence, academic leadership, and the adoption of advanced digital health technologies, as noted on its website here. The implementation of Seegnal at Sourasky Medical Center has become a case model within global public healthcare system and is actively presented to medical centers internationally as a proven example of large-scale, real-world deployment of advanced clinical decision support. As part of this role, Sourasky Medical Center serves as an active reference site, supporting peer medical centers worldwide evaluating modern approaches to medication safety and prescribing governance.

Across large-scale deployments, Seegnal has demonstrated measurable clinical and economic value for medical centers, as further described in the article published in The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits located here. Institutions using Seegnal report reductions in medication-related adverse events, avoidable hospitalizations, and unnecessary medication utilization, alongside improved prescribing efficiency and reduced alert fatigue. From an economic standpoint, these outcomes support lower downstream costs, improved utilization of clinical resources, and stronger alignment with value-based care and quality frameworks – while preserving existing workflows.

Under the expanded scope, Seegnal continues to deliver its SaaS-based platform integrated directly into existing clinical workflows. The system enables clinicians to assess medication-related risks using comprehensive, real-world patient data–including laboratory results, comorbidities, age, renal function, and polypharmacy context–beyond traditional drug-to-drug interaction (DDI) checks.

‘Sourasky Medical Center represents one of the most advanced clinical environments within public health systems worldwide.’ said Elad Bibi-Aviv, Chief Executive Officer of Seegnal. ‘The expansion of our deployment reflects strong confidence in the clinical, operational, and economic value Seegnal delivers at scale.’

Mr. Bibi-Aviv added, ‘Sourasky Medical Center’s role as a global reference site further validates our platform’s maturity and scalability. This deployment demonstrates that patient-specific prescribing intelligence can improve safety and efficiency while supporting sustainable economics for large medical centers.’

About Seegnal

Seegnal is a public company that aims to solve one of the top causes of death and injuries in the modern world – Adverse Drug Effects (ADEs). Seegnal’s Clinical Decision Support system introduces a paradigm shift in the approach to this problem by implementing a new elevated Patient-Centric Standard. Seegnal’s SaaS technology exclusively integrates, at the point-of-care, unique patient-specific data such as, lab results, vital signs, ECG, smoking status, allergies, food interactions, gender, age, and the effects of many concomitant medications, while reducing the current alert load for clinicians by over 90%. In practice, clinicians using Seegnal eHealth complete their prescription workflow with limited interruption, saving time and fatigue. Patients enjoy more tailored medication and improved safety, leading to better quality of life, with precision alerts reaching up to 98% accuracy. Institutions have reported reductions in admissions, medication consumption, and significant time savings in prescription renewals. Seegnal eHealth is marketing its SaaS-based platform in Israel (where the Ministry of Health recently adopted Seegnal’s patient-specific standard as the new standard in governmental hospitals), the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Poland. The platform is currently a ‘standard of care’ system for over 15,000 clinicians in Israel, used daily for prescribing medications.

See www.seegnal.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ or ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, including statements included in the ‘About Seegnal’ section of this press release, are forward-looking. Generally, the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believes’, ‘estimates’, ‘expects’, ‘intends’, ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘will’ or variations of such words or similar expressions. More particularly, and without limitation, this press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements concerning Seegnal’s expanded deployment and extended engagement with Sourasky Medical Center, and the anticipated benefits, developments and information from the deployment. These statements are based on current assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Please refer to Seegnal’s public filings with applicable securities regulators for additional information regarding risk factors and other disclosures.

Seegnal cautions that all forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of Seegnal, including expectations and assumptions concerning Seegnal and its products as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Seegnal’s filings available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Seegnal. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Seegnal does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law.

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

The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall 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.

Source

(TheNewswire)

Vancouver, BC TheNewswire – February 3rd, 2026 Stellar AfricaGold Inc. (‘Stellar’ or the ‘Company’) (TSX-V: SPX | FSE: 6YP | TGAT: 6YP) is pleased to report additional assay results and an updated interpretation from its ongoing diamond drilling program at the Tichka Est Gold Project, located in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

Results received to date confirm the presence of a structurally controlled orogenic gold system, with gold mineralization preferentially hosted within fractured diorite sills and associated carbonate-altered zones linked to secondary shear structures. These results materially advance the Company’s geological understanding of the project and provide a clear framework for follow-up drilling.

Assay results for two completed drill holes remain pending and will be released once received and validated. Following a temporary interruption due to unusually severe winter weather, diamond drilling resumed on January 30th, 2026, with at least two additional drill holes planned.

Highlights – Diamond Drilling

• Multiple gold-bearing zones intersected across several drill holes, confirming the presence and continuity of mineralization beyond the initial discovery hole TCK_001
• Best new intercept :
  • TCK_006: 6.0m @ 3.81g/t Au from 69 m,
  • highlights the development of higher-grade mineralization within stacked horizons
• Results support a refined structural model, with gold preferentially concentrated in competent host rocks affected by secondary shearing
• Drilling resumed on January 30th, 2026, targeting extensions of known mineralization and additional near-surface targets identified through mapping and trenching

Gold intercepts from drill hole TCK_001, including 13.0m @ 6.12g/t Au at 0.1g/t Cut-off grade, were reported previously (see Company news release dated January 8, 2026).

Updated Composite Drill Intercepts (0.20g/t Au Cut-off)

The Company has recalculated composite gold intersections for all drill holes completed to date using a 0.20g/t Au cut-off, a maximum internal dilution of 3.0 metres, and excluding dilution at interval boundaries. This compositing approach better reflects the continuity of mineralization observed within fractured diorite and carbonate-altered zones.

Table 1 below summarizes positive composite intercepts (0.2 g/t Au cut-off) from all drill holes completed to date.

Table – Summary of Gold Intercepts using 0.2 g/t Au cut-off

Hole ID	From (m)	To (m)	Interval (m)	Au (g/t)
TCK_001	76.0	79.0	3.0	0.47
	83.0	87.0	4.0	1.07
	89.0	90.0	1.0	0.25
	93.0	99.0	6.0	3.48
	125.0	137.0	12.0	6.62
TCK_002	73.0	74.0	1.0	0.87
	79.0	80.0	1.0	0.35
TCK_003	179.0	182.0	3.0	0.22
	104.0	205.0	1.0	0.23
	207.0	209.0	2.0	0.22
TCK_004	79.0	80.0	1.0	0.96
	85.0	86.0	1.0	0.23
	89.0	103.0	4.0	2.45
	120.0	121.0	1.0	1.06
TCK_006	0.0	3.0	3.0	0.6
	35.0	48.0	13.0	0.5
	55.0	57.0	2.0	0.51
	69.0	75.0	6.0	3.81
	87.0	90.0	3.0	0.47

Notes:

• Intervals are downhole lengths; true widths are not yet known.
• Grades are uncut, length-weighted averages.
• Composite intervals were calculated using a 0.20g/t Au cut-off with a maximum internal dilution of 3.0metres; dilution at interval boundaries is excluded.

Geological Interpretation

Drilling completed to date indicates that gold mineralization at Tichka Est is preferentially localized within competent lithologies, notably fractured diorite sills and adjacent carbonate units affected by secondary shear structures (cf. TCK_001 and TCK_006).

Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1. Cross section of drillhole TCK_001 showing drillhole geology and gold assays.

Figure 2. Cross section of drillhole TCK_006 showing drillhole geology and gold assays.

Drill hole TCK_003 intersected the Tizgui Shear Zone, characterized by intense brecciation and pervasive calcite veining, but returned limited gold values. This is interpreted to reflect efficient fluid transport along major regional structures, with gold deposition occurring preferentially in zones of elevated fracture density within rigid host rocks rather than within the shear zones themselves.

Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 3. Cross sections of drillholes TCK_003 showing drillhole geology and gold assays.

Drilling and surface observations further indicate that the mineralized diorite bodies occur predominantly as sub-horizontal sills. This geometry promotes the development of laterally extensive fracture networks within competent rocks, enhancing fluid–rock interaction and gold precipitation, particularly where these sills are intersected by secondary shear structures.

Overall, this interpretation is consistent with an orogenic gold system and refines the Company’s exploration model by delineating high-priority structural–lithological traps.

Next Steps

Now that drilling has resumed, the Company plans to :

• Continue two additional holes on the secondary shear structures interpreted to be linked to the Erdouz Fault System
• Evaluate structural repetitions and stacked mineralized horizons identified through surface and further drilling work.

CEO Commentary

Stellar President and CEO J. François Lalonde commented ‘These results confirm that Tichka Est hosts a structurally controlled gold system, with mineralization concentrated within fractured diorite and associated carbonate-altered zones rather than within the main fault zones themselves. The refined geological model and interpretations provide a clear roadmap for the next phase of drilling as operations resume.’

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

All drill core was logged, sampled, and securely transported to Afrilab, an ISO-certified laboratory in Marrakech, Morocco. Gold analyses were completed using standard fire assay methods. A comprehensive QA/QC program was implemented, including the insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference materials.

The drilling campaign at Tichka Est is being conducted by two geologists from the African Bureau of Mining Consultants, under the supervision of Mr. Yassine Belkabir.

Diamond drilling was conducted using HQ diameter core. Core runs were retrieved every 3.0 m or less, with recovery measured and recorded for each run. Core was oriented with a Reflex ACT III tool, photographed (wet and dry), and logged for lithology, alteration, mineralization, and structure.

Sampling intervals for assay were typically one meter in length, defined by geological boundaries. Core was cut with a diamond saw, LHS half-core archived, and RHS half-core submitted for analysis.

Sample preparation and assaying were performed by Afrilab in Marrakech, an ISO-certified laboratory independent of the Company. Samples were crushed to 70% passing 2 mm, split to 250 g, and pulverized to 85% passing 75 μm. Gold assays were performed using 50 g fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. Over-limit assays (>5 g/t Au) were re-assayed.

QA/QC program consisted of 26 reference materials (standards), 26 blanks inserted by geologists and 18 duplicates at regular intervals. In addition, Laboratory QA/QC protocols included internal blanks, standards, and duplicates, with performance reported to the exploration team for independent review. No material QA/QC issues were noted in the batches reported.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this release has been reviewed and approved by Yassine Belkabir, CEng MIMMM, a Stellar director and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101

About the Tichka Est Gold Project

The Tichka Est Gold Project comprises seven permits covering an area of 82km2 located in the High Altas region of Morocco approximately 90km south of Marrakech. Under an earn-in agreement with Morocco’s National Office for Hydrocarbons and Mining (ONYHM) Stellar can earn an 85% interest after incurring exploration expenditures totaling US$2.39M (C$3.5M) over three years.

To date early-stage exploration (mapping, sampling, trenching and a small first pass RC drill program) has identified three gold-bearing zones: Zone A extending over 450 meters along strike, Zone B: extending over two kilometers along strike and Zone C extending over two kilometers along strike. Additionally, regional stream sediment sampling over a 12 km2 area surrounding the three known gold zones identified numerous other metal anomalous zones that warrant further mapping and sampling. In total the following anomalies have been highlighted: 6 zones anomalous for gold, 5 zones anomalous for silver, 2 zones anomalous for copper and 3 zones anomalous for lead and zinc. Most areas of the seven permits have never received any modern exploration.

For more detailed information on the Tichka Est Gold Project readers are referred to Stellar’s website at www.stellarafricagold.com.

About Stellar AfricaGold Inc.

Stellar AfricaGold Inc. is a Canadian precious metal exploration company focused on precious metals in North and West Africa, with active programs in Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire. Stellar’s principal exploration projects are its advancing gold discovery at the Tichka Est Gold Project in Morocco, and its early-stage exploration Zuénoula Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire which is now operated in joint venture with MetalsGrove Mining Ltd subsidiary, MetalsGrove CDI Pty Ltd.

The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange symbol TSX.V: SPX, the Tradegate Exchange TGAT: 6YP and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange FSX: 6YP.

The Company maintains its head office in Vancouver, BC and has a country office in Marrakech, Morocco.

Stellar’s President and CEO J. François Lalonde can be contacted at +1 514-9940654 or by email at lalondejf@stellarafricagold.com

Additional information is available on the Company’s website at www.stellarafricagold.com.

On Behalf of the Board

J. François Lalonde

President & CEO

This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the grant of PSUs, the potential vesting of such PSUs upon the achievement of future production milestones, the issuance of common shares of the Company upon settlement of vested PSUs, and the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Company not achieving the production milestones described herein, changes in business plans or commodity prices, failure to obtain regulatory approvals, and the risk factors described in the Company’s most recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form, which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein.

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

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