Defense Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DEFN) (OTCQB: DFMTF) (FSE: 35D) announces high-grade Rare Earth Element assay results from an additional two core drill holes, totalling 717 metres, collared from the same site within the northern area of Defense Metals’ 100% owned Wicheeda REE Deposit.

Infill drill hole WI22-68 (-55^o dip / 220^o azimuth), the deepest hole to date on the Wicheeda Project at 395 metres, was drilled southwest within the northern area of the deposit and yielded a broad mineralized intercept of high-grade dolomite carbonatite averaging 3.58% total rare earth oxide (“TREO”) over 124 metres; including an exceptionally high-grade zone of 6.70% TREO over 18 m¹ that included one 3 m sample yielding 8.58% TREO (Figure 1, and Image 1).

Drill hole WI22-63 (-60^o dip / 204^o azimuth) collared from the same drill site, tested the interpreted eastern contact of the carbonatite body at depth and returned 2.29% TREO over 39 m; including 5.08% TREO over 9 m¹ (Figure 2).

Luisa Moreno, President, and Director of Defense Metals stated: “These two core drill holes, in particular WI22-68, once again demonstrate the potential for high REE grades over significant widths within the northern Wicheeda Deposit. Assays for WI22-68 were prioritized based on readily visible, coarse-grained REE mineralization. We look forward to receiving additional assay results of other resource infill drill holes from the northern and central Wicheeda Deposit that appear similar in terms of visually estimated REE mineralization percentage.”

Table 1. Wicheeda REE Deposit 2022 Diamond Drill Intercepts

About the Wicheeda REE Property

The 100% owned 4,244-hectare Wicheeda REE Property, located approximately 80 km northeast of the city of Prince George, British Columbia, is readily accessible by all-weather gravel roads and is near infrastructure, including power transmission lines, the CN railway, and major highways.

The Wicheeda REE Project yielded a robust 2021 preliminary economic assessment technical report (PEA) that demonstrated an after-tax net present value (NPV@8%) of $517 million, and 18% IRR³. A unique advantage of the Wicheeda REE Project is the production of a saleable high-grade flotation-concentrate. The PEA contemplates a 1.8 Mtpa (million tonnes per year) mill throughput open pit mining operation with 1.75:1 (waste:mill feed) strip ratio over a 19 year mine (project) life producing and average of 25,423 tonnes REO annually. A Phase 1 initial pit strip ratio of 0.63:1 (waste:mill feed) would yield rapid access to higher grade surface mineralization in year 1 and payback of $440 million initial capital within 5 years.

Methodology and QA/QC

The analytical work reported on herein was performed by ALS Canada Ltd. at Langley (sample preparation) and Vancouver (ICP-MS fusion), B.C. ALS is an ISO-IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 accredited geoanalytical laboratory and is independent of the Defense Metals and the QP. Drill core samples were subject to crushing at a minimum of 70% passing 2 mm, followed by pulverizing of a 250-gram split to 85% passing 75 microns. A 0.1-gram sample pulp was then subject to multi-element ICP-MS analysis via lithium-borate fusion to determine individual REE content (ME-MS81h). Defense Metals follows industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the Wicheeda Project, with a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Blank, duplicate, and standard samples were inserted into the sample sequence sent to the laboratory for analysis. Defense Metals detected no significant QA/QC issues during review of the data.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release as it relates to the Wicheeda REE Project has been reviewed and approved by Kristopher J. Raffle, P.Geo. (BC) Principal and Consultant of APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, AB, a director of Defense Metals and a “Qualified Person” as defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Raffle verified the data disclosed which includes a review of the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information and opinions contained therein.

About Defense Metals Corp.

Defense Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration and development company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral deposits containing metals and elements commonly used in the electric power markets, defense industry, national security sector and in the production of green energy technologies, such as, rare earths magnets used in wind turbines and in permanent magnet motors for electric vehicles. Defense Metals owns 100% of the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Deposit located near Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Defense Metals Corp. trades in Canada under the symbol “DEFN” on the TSX Venture Exchange, in the United States, under “DFMTF” on the OTCQB and in Germany on the Frankfurt Exchange under “35D”.

Figure 1. Drill Section Holes WI22-68 (CNW Group/Defense Metals Corp.)

Image 1: WI22-68 Visibly Coarse-grained REE Mineralization Within Interval Grading 6.70% TREO Over 18 Metres (CNW Group/Defense Metals Corp.)

Figure 2. Drill Section Holes WI22-63 (CNW Group/Defense Metals Corp.)