Canada Nickel’s Crawford Nickel Project named under Ontario’s One Project, One Process Framework

TORONTO, January 13, 2026 TheNewswire – Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. (“Noble” or the “Company”) (TSXV: NOB,OTC:NLPXF) (OTCQB: NLPXF) is pleased to announce that Canada Nickel has renamed its Crawford Nickel Project to Ontario’s One Project, One Process framework.

Noble CEO Vance White said: “We congratulate Canada Nickel on their announcement today that the Crawford Nickel Project is being formally named the Province of Ontario’s One Project, One Process. We believe this is a huge step forward in the potential development of the Crawford deposit.”

“Crawford Nickel Project Named Under Ontario’s One Project, One Process Framework”

TORONTO, January 13, 2026 – Canada Nickel Company Inc. (“Canada Nickel” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: CNC) (OTCQB: CNIKF) today announced that the Province of Ontario has formally named the Crawford Nickel Project (“Crawford” or “the Project”) as the second project to be advanced under the Province’s new One Project, One Process (“1P1P”) framework. The 1P1P framework is designed to better coordinate Ontario’s permitting and assessment processes for major mining developments by aligning timelines, responsibilities and information sharing between provincial ministries. For Canada Nickel, this designation reflects the advanced status, scale and strategic importance of the Crawford Nickel Project within Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy. “Ontario is moving quickly to open this 100% Canadian-owned mine, creating 4,000 jobs for Canadian workers,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mining. “By 2026, our government is committed to unlocking one of the world’s largest nickel reserves that will boost our economy and end China’s critical mineral dominance. ‘Made-in-Canada’ from start to finish as we build a domestic supply chain that includes the Western world’s largest nickel sulfide mine, a new nickel processing plant and a downstream alloy manufacturing facility.” “Today’s announcement underlines the strategic importance of the Crawford Nickel Project to Ontario and the province’s ambition to establish an industry-leading, Made-in-Ontario supply chain for critical minerals,” said Mark Selby, CEO of Canada Nickel Company. “Crawford is purpose-built to anchor a new low-carbon mining and clean metals manufacturing corridor in Northeastern Ontario – driving long-term economic growth, creating high-quality jobs and ensuring value generation remains within the province. As the only mining project in Canada to receive this type of approval from both federal and provincial governments, today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to begin construction by the end of the year. We look forward to working with the province through the recently announced Critical Minerals Processing Fund to help realize these ambitions.” Importantly, Canada Nickel has conducted extensive consultation with the Province of Ontario and has reaffirmed that the 1P1P framework will complement – ​​and not replace – our long-standing commitments to Indigenous Nations, environmental stewardship or strict regulations. The framework aims to improve government coordination and efficiency, while maintaining the highest standards of project development and community engagement. Crawford is already at the forefront of Canada’s modernized regulatory framework, becoming the first mining project in the country to file an Impact Statement under the amended Impact Assessment Act, 2019 in November 2024. Together with its designation under the 1P1P framework and referral to the federal Major Projects Office in November 2025, these milestones provide a clear path to responsibly accelerate development. 2 Crawford is expected to be the largest nickel sulphide project in the Western world and one of the most economically significant mining projects in Canada. Independent analyzes estimate that the project will generate more than $70 billion in gross domestic product over the mine’s first four decades of operation, including approximately $67 billion for Ontario alone, while supporting 1,000 direct and 3,000 indirect and induced jobs. Through its patented In-Process Tailings (IPT) Carbonation technology, Crawford is also expected to permanently store up to 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, making it one of Canada’s largest carbon storage facilities and the world’s first net-zero carbon nickel mines. All technical information in this press release comes from the company’s Crawford Feasibility Study, published in November 2023.

Qualified Person and Data Verification

Stephen J. Balch (P.Geo. – Ontario), VP Exploration of Canada Nickel and a “qualified person” within the meaning of NI 43-101, has verified the data contained in this press release and has otherwise reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this press release on behalf of Canada Nickel Company Inc.

The magnetic images shown in this press release were created based on Canada Nickel’s interpretation of Ontario Geological Survey data sets.

About Canada Nickel Company

Canada Nickel Company Inc. promotes the next generation of nickel sulfide projects to supply nickel needed to feed the fast-growing electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero NickelT.MNetZero CobaltT.MNetZero IronT.M and aims to develop processes to enable the production of carbon-free nickel, cobalt and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with nickel leverage in jurisdictions with low political risk. Canada Nickel is currently anchored in its 100% proprietary flagship Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project in the heart by the fertile Timmins-Nickel District. For more information, Please visit www.canadanickel.com.

About Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.

Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. is a Canadian-based junior exploration company, which owns securities in Canada Nickel Company Inc., Homeland Nickel Inc., East Timmins Nickel Inc. (20%), and has an interest in the Holdsworth gold exploration property in the Wawa, Ontario area.

Noble holds mineral and/or exploration rights to ~70,000 ha in Northern Ontario, ~14,000 ha elsewhere in Quebec and Newfoundland, on which it plans to generate option/joint venture exploration programs.

Noble owns mineral rights and/or exploration rights on ~18,000 hectares in the Timmins-Cochrane areas of Northern Ontario known as Project 81, ~2,215 hectares in Thomas Twp/Timmins, as well as an additional 20% interest in ~38,700 hectares in the Timmins area and ~175 hectares of mining claims in Central Newfoundland. Project 81 hosts diversified drill-ready gold, nickel-cobalt and base metal exploration targets at various stages of exploration. Noble also owns ~4,600 hectares in the Nagagami Carbonatite Complex and its ~3,200 hectares in the Boulder Project, both near Hearst, Ontario, as well as ~3,700 hectares in the Buckingham Graphite Property, ~10,152 hectares in the Havre St Pierre Nickel, Copper, PGM property, and ~1,573 hectares in the Cere-Villebon Nickel, Copper, PGM property, and ~1,573 hectares in the Cere-Villebon Nickel, Copper, PGM property. ~569 hectares of uranium/rare earth property (Chateau) and a ~461 hectare of uranium/molybdenum property (Taser North), all of which are in the province of Quebec.

Noble’s common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “NOB.”

More detailed information about Noble is available on the website: www.noblemineralexploration.com.

Cautionary Statement and Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain information that may constitute “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the potential of the Mann West Nickel Sulphide Project, the timing for submission of a technical report supporting the mineral resource estimate, the significance of the drilling results, the ability to continue drilling, the impact of drilling on the definition of any resource, the timing and completion (if at all) of additional mineral resource estimates, the potential of the Timmins Nickel District, strategic plans, including future exploration and development plans and results, and business and technical objectives. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on various assumptions which, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could affect the outcome include: future prices and supply of metals, future demand for metals, results of drilling, inability to raise the funds necessary to make the expenditures necessary to preserve and promote the property, environmental liabilities (known and unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results of exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining government approvals, failure to obtain regulatory approvals or shareholders. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and is based on the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as of the date of this press release. Canada Nickel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

H. Vance White, chairman

Phone: 416-214-2250

Fax: 416-367-1954

E-mail: info@noblemineralexploration.com

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