Apex Critical Metals Intensifies Rift Drilling with a Second Rig in Nebraska

Apex Critical Metals CA03753D1042

Apex Critical Metals is accelerating exploration at its Rift Rare Earth Project in Nebraska, deploying a second drill rig to push the program forward at the Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex in the southeast of the state. The Phase-I effort, fully underway on a project the company wholly controls, aims to verify historical data and systematically map the extent of mineralization.

Early field results from the program are turning heads, with particular attention paid to the first visible signals from hole RIFT26-002. The drill encountered a Carbonatitic unit about 100 meters south of a historic borehole, starting at 178 meters depth and extending roughly 330 meters through the interpreted mineralized zone.

In parallel, additional targets are advancing:
- RIFT26-001A has reached a depth of 110 meters. The target lies at 600 meters, with the Carbonatitic layer expected near 175 meters depth.
- RIFT26-003 facilities have recently opened, and drilling has just commenced.

Core samples are being processed on site as field work continues. Apex indicated that the initial samples will be prioritized for laboratory analysis in the upcoming weeks.

Drill Targets and Progress

The program is concentrating on a high-priority sector that stretches about 850 meters along strike in the southeastern portion of the Rift project. The target area integrates data from historical drilling campaigns and geophysical surveys into a modern 3D modeling framework to guide intersection planning and interpretation.

CEO Sean Charland noted that this phase is crucial for delineating the size and continuity of mineralization within the target zone. The goal is to build on historical results and gain a clearer understanding of the geological framework.

Strategic Significance

By advancing with a second drill rig, Apex aims to accelerate the expansion and verification of the mineralized zone identified in the Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex. The approach relies on combining legacy drilling data with contemporary geophysical inputs, now embedded in a 3D geological model to refine the exploration path.

Management Perspective

Charland underscored the importance of this stage for defining how extensive and continuous the mineralization may be within the target area. The company intends to leverage past results while sharpening the interpretation of the local geology.

Investor Considerations

As with any carbonatite-related find, simply detecting carbonatite doesn?t guarantee economic mineralization. The key catalysts for the next leg in the project?s development will be laboratory assay results, which will reveal the actual concentrations of rare earth elements in the samples. Investors should watch for those assay outcomes to gauge the potential upside of Rift.