RecycLiCo and Alaska Energy Metals Collaborate to Test Proprietary Processing Methods on the Polymetallic Eureka Deposit, Nikolai Nickel Project, Alaska

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RecycLiCo Battery Materials Inc. (“RecycLiCo”) (TSX.V: AMY | OTCQB: AMYZF | FSE: ID4), a critical mineral refining and lithium-ion battery upcycling company, and Alaska Energy Metals Corp. (“AEMC”) (TSX.V: AEMC | OTCQB: AKEMF | FRA: V7F) are pleased to announce the commencement of testing of metal concentrate samples derived from drill core from the 2023-2024 exploration campaigns at the polymetallic Eureka deposit, located at AEMC’s Nikolai Nickel Project in Alaska. The work is being done at RecycLiCo’s laboratory in Delta, BC, in accordance with a protocol prepared by RecycLiCo and approved by AEMC. Testing is in furtherance of the previously announced memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) between AEMC and RecycLiCo’s U.S. subsidiary to assess the ways in which RecycLiCo’s hydrometallurgical processing technology could be used in refining the output from the Eureka deposit, which contains seven U.S. Government-designated Critical Minerals, including nickel, cobalt, copper, chromium, platinum, palladium, and gold (along with the non-critical mainstay metal iron). Recently reported locked cycle flotation results have proven strong recoveries of metals reporting to a bulk nickel-copper concentrate. AEMC is exploring multiple avenues for hydrometallurgical testing to determine the optimum extraction technique to achieve the highest value from downstream processing of the bulk concentrate.

“We are pleased to be assisting AEMC with this important phase of their Nikolai Project. We expect to demonstrate the benefits of using our hydrometallurgical solutions in the recovery of high value materials essential to the establishment of a wholly domestic critical mineral supply chain, and we look forward to our continuing collaboration as the project moves forward,” said Richard Sadowsky, Interim CEO, RecycLiCo.

Alaska Energy Metals President & CEO Gregory Beischer commented, “We were invited to join Minerals for National Automotive Competitiveness (MINAC), a collaboration amongst upstream raw material suppliers, mid-stream metal refiners, and end users in America’s automotive industry, with the goal of creating all-American supply chains. AEMC was honored to enter this collaborative group which includes RecycLiCo, Lucid and others. It is great to see tangible collaboration in action, and we are excited to see how the RecycLiCo process works on recovering the various metals from concentrates we have produced from the Eureka deposit.”

QUALIFIED PERSON

Mr. Gregory Beischer, AEMC Company President & CEO, is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. He has prepared and is responsible for the scientific and technical information contained in this press release.

RecycLiCo Battery Materials Inc. is a critical minerals refining company specializing in the use of advanced hydrometallurgical technologies for processing mined ore and the upcycling of lithium-ion battery materials. RecycLiCo’s processes efficiently recover battery-ready lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap, supporting energy storage as well as broader industrial applications. RecycLiCo’s business focus aligns with the global demand for future-ready, responsible supply chains and the growing movement to strengthen domestic sourcing of critical materials.

 About Alaska Energy Metals

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders.

AEMC is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk-tonnage, polymetallic Nikolai Project Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in Interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well-situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic metals for North America. AEMC also holds a secondary project in western Quebec; the Angliers – Belleterre project. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, technological innovation, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. AEMC works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG performance is measured by action and led from the top.