Eastport Provides Drilling Updates at Matsitama Copper, Semarule REE and Foley Uranium

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – December 23, 2025) – Eastport Critical Metals Corp. (TSXV: EVI) (“Eastport” or the “Company“) announces updates in relation to the three drill programs announced and commenced across the Company’s critical metals projects in Botswana; Matsitama Copper (drill commencement press release can be viewed here), Semarule REE (drill commencement press release can be viewed here) & Foley Uranium (drill commencement press release can be viewed here).

Highlights:

• Drilling Pause and Resumption: All three drill programs have been temporarily paused for the holiday season, with operations scheduled to recommence across the projects in mid-January 2026.

• Matsitama Copper Project: Combined diamond and reverse circulation (RC) drilling targeting potential future resource definition and extension at the historic Nak prospect; initial reconnaissance RC drilling to test the extensive 25 km Copper-Cobra soil anomaly; and RC drilling along the southern extension of the active Kopano mine, Kopano-South, and the prospective 85 km Bushman fault structure (over 60 km within Eastport’s licences).

• Semarule Rare Earth Elements Project: Phase 1 diamond drilling program underway to test the multi-phase syenite intrusion at Semarule Hill, following encouraging prior rock chip sampling for total rare earth oxides (TREO).

• Foley Uranium Project: Phase 1 RC drilling program initiated to test a continuous >15 km paleo-channel extending from the adjacent Letlhakane Uranium Deposit (owned by Lotus Resources).

Rick Bonner, Director & VP Ex, commented,

“Eastport have made a solid start in our Phase 1 efforts. The holiday break provides an opportunity for the team to take time to reflect on the volume of work behind us, and to prepare for a busy 2026 where drilling will resume and results will begin to flow.”

1. Matsitama Copper: Drill Program Update

(Figure 1: Green Collar ID – Drilling Completed at Program as at today)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8324/278859_b3ebc99904b5bb3b_001full.jpg

Drilling Completed to date:

PROSPECT	DIAMOND DRILL METRES / HOLES	RC DRILL METRES / HOLES
Nak*	1,228m / 8
Nak Exploration	1,307.6m / 7
Copper-Cobra**		450m / 9
Kopano South***		700m / 14

 

Nak*: Consistent with the Qualified Persons recommended expenditures, the drilling at NAK has focused on infill of sections, twining of historic holes, and testing extensions of the deposit. These holes will assist with the planned 2026 resource statement.

Nak Exploration: Diamond drill holes were testing a number of targets to the northwest and east of the Nak deposit.

Copper-Cobra**: RC drilling on the ~25km copper-in-soil anomaly delivered 453 chip samples for assays, and lithology to assist with mapping the subsurface.

Kopano South***: Kopano South sits south of the historic Kopano Mine (previously known as Mowana), a copper mining operation. RC drilling delivered 700 chip samples for assays and lithology to assist with mapping the subsurface. All RC chip samples have been collected in accordance with industry-standard procedures and will be submitted to an independent accredited laboratory for analysis, with appropriate QA/QC protocols applied.

2. Semarule: Drill Program Update

(Figure 2: Red Collar ID’s – Drill Holes Completed / Orange Collar ID’s – Drill Holes Pending)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8324/278859_b3ebc99904b5bb3b_002full.jpg

Breakdown of Drilling Completed thus far:

PROSPECT	DIAMOND DRILL METRES / HOLES	RC DRILL METRES / HOLES
Semarule*	750m /2	0

 

Semarule*: Drill hole SEM003, the initial hole of the program, was completed to a depth of 400 meters and intersected a sequence of syenite transitioning to pyroxenite-rich intervals, including intervals of fenitized syenite with calcite veining up to 15 cm thick and rare sulphides. Downhole geophysics has been completed to refine targeting for follow-up drilling.

SEM005, located 1.2 km east of SEM003, was completed to a depth of 350 meters. Mafic-rich syenite was intersected from surface to 310m.

No assay results are available at this time, and all interpretations are based solely on geological logging. Further updates will be provided as additional data becomes available.

3. Foley Uranium: Drilling Update

(Figure 3: Red Collar ID’s – Drill Holes Completed / Orange Drill Collar ID’s – Drill Holes Pending)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8324/278859_b3ebc99904b5bb3b_003full.jpg

Breakdown of Drilling Completed thus far:

PROSPECT	DIAMOND DRILL METRES / HOLES	RC DRILL METRES / HOLES
Foley*	0	920 / 9

 

Foley*: Nine RC holes were completed on the first of three fences. Depths to the basement rocks in holes 6 to 9 increased as expected validating the concept of a paleo-channel cut into the paleo-surface. Downhole gamma logging is presently underway.

Qualified Person

The information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Liz de Klerk Pri.Sci.Nat.,FIMM, of Micon International, an independent consultant and Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101.

Location Map of Eastport’s Projects in Botswana

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8324/278859_b3ebc99904b5bb3b_004full.jpg

About Eastport Critical Metals Corp.

Eastport is a disruptive critical minerals development company advancing five projects in Botswana, with cumulative historical and current expenditures approaching $20 million. The Company’s most advanced asset is the Matsitama Copper Project, which hosts multiple sizeable targets across the Matsitama copper district.

The Company’s additional projects include Selebi East, a nickel-copper-cobalt project located seven kilometres east of the historic Selebi Mines; the Semarule Rare Earth Elements Project, positioned within the Gaborone-Molepolole corridor; the Foley Uranium Project, adjoining the Letlhakane uranium deposit; and the Keng Project, which targets nickel, copper and PGE’s on the northern margin of the Molopo Farms Complex.

Botswana is widely regarded as one of Africa’s strongest mining jurisdictions, combining the continent’s highest GDP per capita with a 50-year track record of large-scale mineral development since the Orapa diamond discovery in 1967. The country ranks among the top performers globally on the Fraser Institute’s Investment Attractiveness Index and is the highest-rated jurisdiction in Africa on the Policy Perception Index. These rankings reflect Botswana’s stable regulatory environment, consistent rule of law, and long-standing support for responsible mineral development – factors that have underpinned significant investment and major M&A activity in the natural resources sector in recent years.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements including but not limited to statements regarding the Company’s business, assets or investments, as well other statements that are not historical facts. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, investor interest in the business and prospects of the Company.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made, by third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

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

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278859