Apex Critical Metals Expands Drilling as High-Grade Rare Earths Zone Emerges

Apex Critical Metals expands drilling after hitting high-grade rare earths & a rich NdPr zone in Nebraska, backed by a new U.S. defense partnership.

Early results from the 2026 drill campaign at the Rift Rare Earth Project in Nebraska have prompted Apex Critical Metals to significantly expand its exploration program. The company is moving quickly after encountering a high-grade zone of strategically vital minerals, alongside securing a pivotal partnership with the U.S. defense industrial base.

Drill hole RIFT26-002, positioned approximately 100 meters south of a historic hole, intersected 81.6 meters grading 2.02% total rare earth oxides (REO). Within that interval, a 50.9-meter core section returned an even higher grade of 2.40% REO, with 17 individual samples exceeding 3.00% REO. These fresh results, combined with historical data, confirm a mineralized zone stretching over 700 meters in strike length that remains open in all directions.

A standout technical feature is the discovery of an exceptionally enriched neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) zone. Across a ten-meter section, the NdPr distribution averaged 49%. This sharply contrasts with the typical NdPr content of 14% to 20% found in rare earth carbonatites globally. NdPr oxides are the most economically valuable components of such deposits, essential for manufacturing the high-performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicles and various electrification technologies.

The ongoing Phase I program has already completed eight holes totaling approximately 5,868 meters. Given the promising initial data, Apex has decided to increase the scope of this phase. Assay results from seven additional holes, representing roughly 5,266 meters of drilling, are still pending and will be released incrementally in the coming weeks.

This operational progress coincides with a major strategic development. In February 2026, Apex secured membership in the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC). This Department of Defense-supported initiative aims to secure supply chains of critical materials for defense and technology contractors. The membership provides the explorer with direct access to state-funded programs, underscoring the geopolitical importance of establishing a domestic source for rare earth elements.

All incoming data will feed directly into an updated geological 3D model. This model will guide the precise placement of the expanded Phase I drill holes, which will focus on testing the continuity and extent of the high-grade NdPr mineralization and the strike extensions of the deposit.

The fundamental developments have underpinned substantial share price appreciation. Over a twelve-month horizon, the stock has recorded a gain of approximately 182%, although it saw a slight pullback in the latest session to trade at EUR 1.44. Market attention is now fixed on the steady flow of assay results, which are expected to bring much clearer definition to the project's resource potential in the near term.