Ameriwest Critical Metals Provides Corporate Update and 2026 Near-Term Catalysts

Ameriwest Critical Metals Inc. has successfully closed an oversubscribed private placement raising $3.07 million in gross proceeds, positioning the company to advance its multi-commodity critical minerals portfolio throughout 2026. The financing, completed on February 10, 2026, involved issuing 12.26 million units at $0.25 per unit, with each unit including one common share and one warrant exercisable at $0.40 for 18 months.

The company's primary focus for 2026 will be the recently acquired Bornite copper-gold-silver project in Oregon, located approximately 50 miles east of Salem. The deposit is interpreted as a steeply oriented breccia pipe hosting copper mineralization primarily as bornite and chalcopyrite. Ameriwest has outlined a comprehensive staged work program for Q1-Q2 2026, including securing and re-examining historical drill core, building an internal 3D geological model, conducting surface mapping and soil sampling, completing geophysical surveys, and filing an NI 43-101 technical report. Beyond Q2 2026, the company aims to delineate an initial NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource through drilling.

The company's diversified portfolio includes the Xeno rare earth project in British Columbia, where preliminary exploration including soil sampling and geophysics is planned for summer 2026, and the Thompson Valley lithium project in Arizona, which has returned values up to 1,295 ppm lithium in clay-hosted systems. Ameriwest maintains drill permits for the Arizona property and is evaluating a potential 2026 drill program. The company has also entered into a $415,000 marketing agreement with Echo Elite Ads Ltd. to enhance investor awareness over a 20-week period beginning in March 2026.

This corporate update demonstrates Ameriwest's strategic positioning across multiple critical mineral commodities at a time of heightened demand for copper, rare earths, and lithium. The systematic approach to advancing the Bornite project, combined with early-stage exploration of the rare earth and lithium properties, provides multiple potential catalysts for value creation in 2026 and beyond.