Critical Resources Limited (ASX:CRR) has commenced a new field exploration program at the Corona Pegmatite Field within its wholly owned Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada, as the company continues advancing its broader strategy of developing a multi-deposit lithium district. The latest program is focused on identifying new drill-ready lithium targets along an interpreted five-kilometre pegmatite corridor that has seen limited modern lithium-focused exploration despite sitting within the same geological trend as the company’s existing mineral resource.

Company Overview

Critical Resources Limited is an Australian Mining and technology company focused on critical minerals exploration and battery-related technologies. The company’s primary asset is the Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada, alongside additional exposure to base metals and gold projects.

The company is also advancing initiatives linked to solid-state batteries and thermal management systems as part of its broader mine-to-market lithium strategy.

Corona Program Targets Resource Expansion Potential

Critical Resources said the Corona target represents a potentially important growth opportunity within the Mavis Lake project area. The target lies approximately four kilometres north of the existing Mavis Lake Main Zone Deposit and forms part of the same lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite corridor hosting the company’s current JORC-compliant inferred mineral resource of 8.0 million tonnes at 1.07% Li₂O.

Management believes the broader corridor could support additional lithium discoveries as exploration progresses across the largely underexplored northern prospects area. The Corona trend itself extends for around five kilometres and includes multiple mapped pegmatite bodies, some reaching widths of up to 70 metres.

The company stated that the area has not been subjected to extensive modern lithium exploration techniques, creating potential upside as systematic fieldwork begins.

Critical Resources Managing Director Tim Wither said the company sees an opportunity to evolve Mavis Lake from a single-deposit project into a broader lithium district supported by multiple mineralised zones.

According to management, the Corona target benefits from an extensive geological database that includes surface geochemistry, lithogeochemistry, LIBS-based pegmatite fractionation analysis, and high-resolution aeromagnetic data, which are expected to support more refined targeting.

Field Crews Mobilised to Site

The company confirmed that experienced exploration field crews have mobilised to the Corona area and have already commenced systematic prospecting and outcrop mapping activities. The field component of the program is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete.

The current phase of exploration will focus on identifying surface expressions of spodumene-bearing pegmatites and generating high-priority drill targets ahead of the company’s planned 2026 drilling campaign.

Management noted that limited outcrop exposure due to overburden and wetland cover across the Ontario Shield region may actually support the possibility of concealed lithium-bearing systems beneath surface cover.

The field program will integrate new mapping and geochemical sampling data with the company’s existing exploration datasets in an effort to prioritise targets across the corridor.

Geochemical assay results are anticipated approximately three to four weeks after completion of the field program, depending on laboratory turnaround times.

Mavis Lake Positioned as Core Lithium Asset

The Mavis Lake Lithium Project remains Critical Resources’ flagship lithium asset and is located approximately 10 kilometres east of Dryden in north-western Ontario.

The project currently hosts an inferred mineral resource of 8.0 million tonnes grading 1.07% Li₂O and forms part of the company’s broader strategy of building exposure to critical minerals required for battery Supply chains and electrification technologies.

Management highlighted that the project benefits from access to infrastructure, transport routes, skilled labour and supportive regional communities, positioning it favourably within the North American battery materials sector.

In addition to the current resource, the broader Mavis Lake project area contains several regional targets considered prospective for additional lithium discoveries.

The company previously announced an exploration target across the project of between 18 million tonnes and 29 million tonnes grading between 0.8% and 1.2% Li₂O, highlighting the scale of the exploration opportunity being pursued across the district.

Northern Prospects Form Broader Growth Strategy

Critical Resources said the Corona exploration program forms part of a larger northern prospects strategy designed to unlock district-scale lithium potential across multiple pegmatite targets.

Alongside Corona, the company is also progressing exploration initiatives at Gullwing, Tot, Little Wing, Coates, Drope and other regional prospects within the Mavis Lake tenure package.

Among these, Gullwing is considered one of the more advanced exploration targets and hosts an exploration target estimate of between 7 million tonnes and 10 million tonnes grading 0.3% to 1.2% Li₂O.

Historical work at Gullwing identified strong spodumene mineralisation, while mapping has outlined a pegmatite body extending approximately 500 metres in strike and reaching widths of up to 80 metres.

Management stated that collectively, these northern prospects could support future resource growth and provide additional development optionality beyond the current Mavis Lake deposit.

The company has also expanded its regional landholding to more than 400 square kilometres across key structural corridors in Ontario.

Integrated Exploration Dataset Supports Targeting

Critical Resources said one of the key advantages supporting the Corona exploration campaign is the amount of technical data already assembled across the project.

This includes surface geochemical sampling, lithogeochemical analysis, LIBS-based pegmatite fractionation studies and high-resolution UAV aeromagnetic surveys.

According to the company, these datasets provide a stronger technical basis for identifying priority targets and understanding structural controls associated with lithium-bearing pegmatites.

The company intends to use these integrated datasets to refine drill targeting before committing Capital toward larger-scale drilling activities.

Management described the approach as a disciplined exploration strategy focused on improving target quality and increasing the probability of successful discoveries.

Downstream Battery Strategy Continues to Advance

Alongside its Upstream lithium exploration activities, Critical Resources continues progressing its downstream battery technology initiatives.

The company said its mine-to-market strategy is intended to provide exposure across the broader lithium value chain, extending beyond mineral exploration into next-generation battery technologies and thermal management systems.

One key area of focus is the company’s amorphous solid-state electrolyte program being advanced in collaboration with the South Dakota School of Mines &Amp; Technology under the U.S. National Science Foundation-supported Centre for Solid-State Electric Power Storage framework.

Recent laboratory testing confirmed stable electrolyte performance over 1,200 hours at room temperature with ionic conductivity of 3.2 mS cm⁻¹ and low activation energy of 0.27 eV.

Critical Resources also recently secured an evaluation licence from NTUitive Pte Ltd, linked to Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, covering thermal management technologies for lithium-ion batteries and high-density electronics applications including data centres.

The technology is designed to reduce cooling requirements and energy usage within high-performance computing and battery environments.

Management indicated these initiatives could provide future Partnership, licensing and commercialisation opportunities while complementing the company’s lithium development activities.

Focus Remains on Expanding Drill Pipeline

Looking ahead, Critical Resources plans to continue advancing exploration across its northern prospects while preparing new drill-ready targets for future campaigns.

The company stated that systematic surface mapping, geochemical sampling and data integration at Corona are expected to support the next phase of exploration activities during 2026.

Management continues to position Mavis Lake as a potentially larger-scale lithium district rather than a standalone deposit, with the broader corridor still offering considerable exploration upside.

As global Demand for battery materials remains tied to electric vehicles, energy storage and emerging technologies, Critical Resources is aiming to strengthen both its resource base and its broader exposure to lithium-related technologies through its integrated development strategy.