MRZ to Assess Pathway to Produce High-Purity Separated REO
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Released
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Level 8, 2 Bligh Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Mont Royal Resources Ltd
ACN: 625 237 658
E: info@montroyalres.com
www.montroyalres.com
ASX ANNOUNCEMENT
31st August 2026
Mont Royal and Alta to Assess Pathway to
Produce High-Purity Separated Rare Earth Oxides
from Ashram
Joint Study Agreement to evaluate next-stage processing pathway for
Ashram rare earths into North American supply chains for magnets and
advanced technologies
HIGHLIGHTS
• MontRoyalhas signed a JointStudy Agreementwith Alta ResourceTechnologiesto
evaluate the potential application of Alta’s engineered protein-based rare earth
separation technology to mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) feedstock from the
Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Project.
• Thestudy will assess apathwayto produceseparated,high-purity rare earth oxides
from Ashram-derived MREC, potentially extending MontRoyal further downstream
into the rare earth value chain.
• Theparties will also assess thepotentialfora future commercialrefiningfacility and
longer-term partnership supporting a North American rare earth supply chain.
• Alta’s technology uses engineered proteins designed to selectively bind and
separate target metal ions, offering a modular separation approach that may
support cleaner and potentially lower-capital intensity processing outcomes.
• Alta’s recent industry partnerships include a joint venture with Korea Zinc’s US
subsidiary, PedalPoint, for the establishment of an end-of-life permanent magnet
rare earth recycling facility in the US.
• The Ashram 2026 PEA (Updated Preliminary Economic Analysis Confirms Ashram as
a Major Long Life North American Rare Earths Development Project – June 9th
, 2026)
outlines a 30-yearmine life, average annual productionof17,466 tonnesofsaleable
REO, a post-tax NPV of C$2.03 billion, post-tax IRR of 22% and 3.9-year payback.
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MONTRÉAL,Quebec and Boulder, Colorado – August 31st, 2026 –Mont Royal Resources
Ltd (ASX: MRZ, TSXV: MRZL) (“Mont Royal” or “the Company”) and Alta Resource
Technologies, Inc. (“Alta”) announced today that they have signed a Joint Study
Agreement (“JSA”) to evaluate a technical pathway for processing mixed rare earth
carbonates(“MREC”)fromMontRoyal’sAshramRareEarths&FluorsparProject in Québec,
Canada into separated, high-purity rare earth oxides (“REO”).
The JSA will also assess the potential for a commercial refining facility and is intended as
an initial step toward a potential joint venture to support the long-term production of
North American REOs for permanent magnets, advanced technologies, and defence
applications.
Alta’s recent industry collaborationsinclude a partnering agreement with Korea Zinc, the
world's largest non-ferrous metals smelter to establish a US-based rare earth recycling
joint venture, targeting commercial production of high-purity NdPr, dysprosium and
terbium from end-of-life magnets by 2027.
Mont Royal’s Managing Director, Nicholas Holthouse, said:
“We are pleased to be working with Alta on this next step in the development pathway
for the Ashram Project, as we assess opportunities to capture more of the value
contained within the Ashram Resource. Our current focus on producing a mixed rare
earth carbonateremainsapractical andlower-risk developmentstrategyfor the Ashram
Project. However, the ability to take that product further downstream and potentially
produce separated, high-purity rare earth oxides in North America represents a
significant opportunity for Mont Royal.
Working with Alta brings an innovative separation technology and specialist expertise
which could provide a pathway for us to achieve that without Mont Royal having to
develop the capability independently. Importantly, this also aligns with the growing
strategic focus in Canada and the United States on establishing secure Western supply
chains for rare earth elements required for permanent magnets, defence and advanced
technologies."
Alta Resources Technologies Co-Founder and CEO, Nathan Ratledge, said:
“Mont Royal has a world-class resource and the expertise to extract it. Alta has a
separation technology purpose-built for valorizing complex mixtures of rare earth
elements. Together, we will provide a durable North American rare earth supply chain
necessary for Western manufacturers to produce permanent magnets and advanced
technologies.”
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Joint Study Agreement Opportunity
The Ashram Rare Earths & Fluorspar Project, located in Nunavik, Quebec, is one of the
largest undeveloped rare earth projects in North America.
Based on the results of the 2026 PEA, the Ashram Project is expected to produce
approximately4,035 tonnesper annum(tpa)ofneodymium-praseodymium(NdPr) oxide
and is rich in heavy rare earth elements including dysprosium (Dy), terbium (Tb),
samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), and yttrium (Y).
Alta is a pioneer in the emerging field of “precision mining” — an approach to sourcing
minerals that emphasizes accuracy, lower impact, and full mineral valorization. Alta’s
processing platform uses engineered proteinsto separate rare earth elements and other
strategic materials with high selectivity.
By tailoring these proteinsto bind selectively to individual elements, Alta’s processis built
to sustainably recover the full value of a resource with a minimal footprint.
The JSA will evaluate pathways for applying Alta’s engineered-protein technology to
separate Mont Royal’s MREC into individual, high-purity REOs, with the two companies
collaboratively assessing how to bridge Mont Royal’s hydrometallurgical process with
Alta’s separation process.
Alta’s technology has previously been demonstrated on a variety of feedstocks, including
the intralanthanide separation of permanent magnet REOs (NdPr, Dy, and Tb) and SEG+
(Sm, Eu, Gd, Y) at greater than 99.5% purity and greater than 90% yield.
The JSA will determine whether comparable results can be achieved with Mont Royal’s
Ashram MREC.
Establishing REO production from Canadian resources advances the strategic goal of a
secure, North American supply of critical minerals essential for defence, energy, and
advanced manufacturing.Processingthismaterial in North Americaisconsistentwith the
Canada-U.S. Joint Action Plan on Critical Minerals and would strengthen an integrated
continental supply chain for both countries.
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About Alta Resources Technologies
Alta Resource Technologies has developed the first new, scalable mineral-separation
technology to emerge in generations — a platform built on engineered proteins rather
than the bulkindustrial chemistrythathaslongprevailed.Alta's proteinsisolaterareearth
elements and other strategic materials with unprecedented selectivity from electronic
waste, mined ores, tailings, and complex feedstocks, attacking the separation and
processing bottleneck that constrains critical-mineral supplies. As control of these
materials increasingly serves as geopolitical leverage, Alta offers a faster path to supply-
chain resilience without the costs, inefficiencies, and environmental and health burdens
of conventional processing. Backed by top-tier investors and government partners, Alta
is scaling advanced biotechnology to secure the building blocks of the 21st-century
economy.
For more information, visit www.altatech.io.
About Mont Royal
Mont Royal Resources Limited (ASX: MRZ, TSXV: MRZL) is a critical minerals development
and exploration company with projects in Quebec, Canada. The Company is dedicated
to advancing its 100%-owned Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit in Nunavik,
Québec, Canada – one of the largest monazite-dominant carbonatite-hosted Rare Earth
Elementsdepositsin North America.In addition,theCompanyowns75%of Northern Lights
Minerals 536km2
tenement package located in the Upper Eastmain Greenstone belt. The
projects are located in the emerging James Bay area, a Tier-1 mining jurisdiction of
Quebec, and are prospective for lithium, precious (Gold, Silver) and base metals
mineralisation (Copper, Nickel).
For further information regarding Mont Royal Resources Limited, please visit the ASX
platform (ASX: MRZ) or the Mont Royal’s website investors.montroyalres.com
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Figure 1: Location of the Ashram REE & Fluorspar Project, the Northern Lights Project and the Port of
Saguenay
For and on behalf of the Board
ENDS
Joel Ives | Company Secretary
For further information please contact:
Nicholas Holthouse
Managing Director
info@montroyalres.com
Nicholas Read
Investor and Media Relations
nicholas@readcorporate.com.au
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is
defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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Cautionary Statement – Preliminary Economic Assessment
The updated Preliminary Economic Assessment("PEA") referred to in this report is a preliminary
technicaland economicstudyof the potentialviabilityof the AshramRare Earth& FluorsparProject
("Ashram" or the "Project").The PEA is based on low-level technical and economic assessments
and has been completed to a level of accuracy of ± 50%. It is not sufficient to support the
estimation of Ore Reservesortoprovide assuranceof aneconomicdevelopmentcase atthisstage,
nor to provide certainty that the conclusions of the PEA will be realised. Further exploration,
technical,and economic studies are required before Mont RoyalResources Limited ("Mont Royal"
or the "Company") will be in a position to estimate any Ore Reserves or to provide assurance of an
economic development case.
Competent and Qualified Persons
The production target referred to in this report was firstreported by the Company on 9 June 2026.
The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning the production target and
forecast financial information derived from the production target in the original announcement
continue to apply and have not materially changed.
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Important Notices & Disclaimers
Forward Looking Statements
This announcement contains certain “forward looking statements” within the meaning of
Australian securities laws and “forward looking information” within the meaning of
Canadian securities laws (collectively referred to as “forward looking statements”). All
statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address circumstances, events,
activitiesor developmentsthat could,or mayor will occur areforwardlookingstatements.
These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these
events, activitiesor developmentsfromcomingto fruition include:actual resultsofcurrent
and future exploration activities; that Mont Royal may not be able to fully finance any
additional exploration on the Ashram Project; that even if Mont Royal is able raise capital,
costs for exploration activitiesmay increase such that Mont Royal may not have sufficient
funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of the
proposed drill program and any future work programs may not be completed as
proposedor atall;geological interpretationsbasedon drillingthatmaychangewith more
detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions
based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous
deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may
not prove successful or samples derived from the Ashram Project may not yield positive
results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the
economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the anticipated market demand
for rare earth elements and other minerals may not be as expected; the availability of
labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities;
geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability; and despite the
current expected viability of the Ashram Project, conditions changing such that even if
metals or minerals are discovered on the Ashram Project, the project may not be
commercially viable, or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the public
filings made by Mont Royal. Although Mont Royal has attempted to identify important
factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in
forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events
or results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements
are based on Mont Royal’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections
about its business and the industry in which it operates and management's beliefs and
assumptions, including the non-occurrence of the risks and uncertainties that are
described above and in the public filings made by Mont Royal or other events occurring
outside of our normal course of business, and are not guarantees of future performance
or development and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that are in some cases beyond Mont Royal’s control.
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Forward looking statements in this announcement include, but are not limited to,
statements regarding; the goals, strategies, opportunities, technologies used, project
timelines and funding requirements; impact of combined management expertise and
prospective shareholding; the plans, operations and prospects of Mont Royal and its
properties; the continued advancement of the Ashram Project to development; that
Ashram’s fluorspar component which makes it one of the largest potential sources of
fluorspar in the world and could be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar
markets; that Mont Royal is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth element
producers globally, with a focus on being a long-term global supplier of mixed rare earth
carbonate and/or NdPr oxide; and that Mont Royal may explore the potential of other
high-value commodities on the Ashram Property and the expected timetable for dual
listing of Mont Royal’s shares; and statements about market and industry trends, which
are based on interpretation of market conditions. Forward looking statements can
generally be identified by the use of forward looking words such as “anticipate”, “expect”,
“likely”, “propose”, “will”, “intend”, “should”, “could”, “may”, “believe”, “forecast”, “estimate”,
“target”, “outlook”, “guidance” (including negative or grammatical variations) and other
similar expressions. No representation, warranty, guarantee or assurance, express or
implied, is given or made in relation to any forward-looking statement. In particular no
representation, warranty or assumption, express or implied, is given in relation to any
underlyingassumption or thatanyforward-lookingstatementwill be achieved. Therecan
be no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual
and future events may vary materially from the forward-looking statements and the
assumptions on which the forward-looking statements were based, because events and
actual circumstances frequently do not occur as forecast and future results are subject
to known and unknown risks such as changes in market conditions and regulations.
Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such
forward-looking statements, and should rely on their own independent enquiries,
investigations and advice regarding information contained in this announcement. Any
reliance by a reader on the information contained in this announcement is wholly at the
reader’s own risk.
To the maximum extent permitted by law or any relevant listing rules of the ASX/TSX-V,
Mont Royal and their respective related bodies corporate and affiliates and their
respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents and intermediaries disclaim
any obligation or undertakingto disseminate any updates or revisions to the information
in this announcement to reflect any change in expectations in relation to any forward
looking statements or any such change in events, conditions or circumstances on which
any such statements were based. Nothing in this announcement will, under any
circumstances (includingby reason of this announcement remaining available and not
being superseded or replaced by any other announcement or publication with respect to
Mont Royal or the subject matter of this announcement), create an implication that there
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has been no change in the affairs of Mont Royal since the date of this announcement.
Not Investment Advice
This announcement is not financial product, investment advice or a recommendation to
acquiresecuritiesofMontRoyal or Commerceand hasbeen preparedwithouttakinginto
account the objectives, financial situation or needs of individuals. Each recipient of this
announcement should make its own enquiries and investigations regarding all
information in this announcement, including, but not limited to, the assumption,
uncertainty and contingencies which may affect future operations of Mont Royal and the
impact that different future outcomes may have on Mont Royal. Before making an
investment decision, prospective investors should consider the appropriateness of the
information having regard to their own objectives, financial situation and needs, and seek
legal, taxation and financial advice appropriate to their jurisdiction and circumstances.
Unless otherwise stated, all dollar values in this Announcement are reported in Australian
dollars.
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