Successful Commissioning of the Company's First Commercial-Scale Germanium Production Column Validates the Scalability and Modular Architecture of ReElement's Chromatography-Based Refining Platform

Company Validates the Largest Chromatography Columns It Currently Intends to Deploy Commercially

FISHERS, IN / ACCESS Newswire / August 7, 2026 / American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ: AREC) ("American Resources") through its minority holding in ReElement Technologies Corporation ("ReElement"), a leading U.S. innovator in rare earth element (REE) and critical mineral refining, today announced the successful commissioning and operation of its first commercial-scale germanium production column at ReElement's Marion, Indiana, refining facility. The milestone represents a significant step in the commercialization of ReElement's refining-first platform and validates the Company's ability to efficiently scale its proprietary chromatography-based separation and purification technology to commercial production.

The successful commissioning validated that ReElement's chromatography-based separation and purification platform scales efficiently from laboratory development and pilot production to commercial-scale operations. The demonstration also confirmed that properly engineered commercial-scale columns can maintain and enhance separation performance while leveraging the modular architecture that underpins ReElement's long-term commercialization strategy. The germanium production column represents the largest chromatography column ReElement currently intends to deploy across its owned facilities and future partner locations worldwide.

This milestone significantly advances ReElement's transition from technology development and demonstration-scale validation to dedicated, commercial-scale operations.

At commercial scale, the preprocessing and post-separation operations surrounding ReElement's chromatography platform utilize proven, industry-standard equipment. The Company's proprietary advantage resides within the separation and purification stage, where its chromatography-based platform eliminates the need for the organic solvents traditionally used in conventional solvent-extraction circuits.

The successful commercial-scale demonstration further validates ReElement's ability to:

• Eliminate organic solvents from the separation and purification process;

• Significantly reduce chemical consumption;

• Reduce the physical footprint required for commercial refining operations;

• Deploy modular production lines capable of expanding capacity efficiently;

• Support faster and more capital-efficient deployment;

• Add capacity by installing additional refining lines utilizing common process-control technology;

• Process a broad range of primary, recycled and unconventional feedstocks;

• Leverage shared preprocessing, analytical laboratories, cleanrooms and post-processing infrastructure across multiple products;

• Align refining capacity with validated commercial and defense-sector demand; and

• Deploy scalable refining capacity at ReElement-owned facilities or alongside strategic partners in the United States and internationally.

ReElement's Marion facility is being developed around four initial production lines dedicated to germanium, gallium, light rare earth elements and heavy rare earth elements. Initial commercial production capabilities include germanium ("Ge"), gallium ("Ga"), neodymium ("Nd"), neodymium-praseodymium ("NdPr"), dysprosium ("Dy"), terbium ("Tb"), gadolinium ("Gd"), yttrium ("Y") and samarium ("Sm"). The Company's anticipated Phase II expansion is expected to add additional production lines supporting battery materials, including lithium, cobalt and nickel, as well as tungsten.

The modular architecture allows each production line to utilize a common process design, automation platform and facility infrastructure, enabling efficient expansion into additional products while leveraging shared preprocessing, analytical and post-processing capabilities.

With commercial-scale validation now complete, ReElement's immediate focus is completing the commissioning of the Marion facility's remaining Phase I production lines. To date, development of the facility remains substantially under budget and ahead of the schedules established in the Company's original construction and commercialization plans, including milestones previously discussed with U.S. government stakeholders in connection with magnet-recycling initiatives.

"This is a monumental achievement for ReElement, our employees, our partners and the United States' critical-mineral supply chain," said Mark Jensen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ReElement Technologies Corporation. "For years, our team has believed chromatography represented a fundamentally better approach to separating and purifying critical minerals than conventional solvent extraction. Today's successful demonstration validates that our technology is not only scientifically proven - it is commercially scalable. Just as importantly, it confirms the modular refining-first architecture we have spent years developing and significantly reduces the technical risk associated with expanding our platform across multiple products, production lines and locations."

Jensen continued, "This demonstration reinforces our belief that the future of critical mineral refining does not require the enormous chemical consumption, physical footprint and capital intensity traditionally associated with solvent extraction. Once feedstocks reach our refining platform, we can leverage a digitally controlled, modular process supported by shared infrastructure to efficiently produce a wide range of high-purity critical mineral products. We believe this approach provides a scalable pathway for the United States and its allies to establish secure, commercially sustainable and demand-driven critical mineral supply chains."

Jensen concluded, "The critical-mineral industry will only succeed over the long term if it is collaborative, commercially sustainable and driven by cost-competitive solutions. No single company, technology or feedstock source can solve the critical-mineral supply-chain challenge on its own. ReElement's role is not to replace existing participants - it is to provide the scalable refining platform that helps connect miners, recyclers, manufacturers, defense contractors, technology companies, government agencies and allied partners with the high-purity critical mineral products the market requires. We believe our refining-first model provides a practical pathway to strengthen domestic and allied supply chains while allowing refining capacity to expand in line with validated commercial and national security demand."

Following the successful commercial-scale demonstration, ReElement continues to expand discussions with companies and organizations throughout the rare earth, critical mineral, semiconductor, advanced technologies, aerospace, defense and battery-material industries. The Company is actively evaluating opportunities involving feedstock partnerships, toll processing, dedicated production capacity, technology deployment, joint ventures and strategic co-location arrangements designed to accelerate deployment of domestic and allied refining capacity.

ReElement believes collaboration across the critical-mineral industry will be essential to establishing resilient, cost-effective and commercially sustainable supply chains for the United States and its allied nations. The Company's chromatography-based refining platform is designed to support distributed, modular production near feedstock sources, manufacturing centers and end users, reducing transportation requirements, shortening deployment timelines and allowing refining capacity to expand efficiently in response to market demand.

The successful commissioning of ReElement's first commercial-scale production column marks the Company's transition from technology development and pilot-scale validation to commercial deployment. Management believes this milestone positions ReElement to expand domestic and allied refining capacity through a scalable, modular architecture capable of supporting defense, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, energy, battery and permanent-magnet supply chains while helping establish a more secure, diversified and economically sustainable critical-mineral ecosystem.

About American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ: AREC)

American Resources Corporation is strategically developing an integrated critical materials ecosystem through its Platform Orchestration strategy, which brings together complementary capabilities across commercial feedstock origination, industrial processing, and advanced refining. Through this capital-efficient approach, the Company is building a flexible platform designed to adapt to evolving technologies, customer requirements, and national priorities while strengthening domestic and allied critical mineral supply chains.

The Company's operating platforms span conventional and unconventional resource sourcing, feedstock aggregation, recycling, processing, conditioning, and advanced refining through its strategic affiliation with, and former parent relationship to, ReElement Technologies Corporation, a leading provider of high-performance refining capacity for rare earth elements and critical minerals. Together, these complementary capabilities enable American Resources to efficiently align diverse feedstock sources with growing commercial, industrial, and defense-sector demand.

American Resources' modular, asset-light business model emphasizes disciplined capital allocation, scalable growth, and strategic partnerships. By integrating complementary operating platforms rather than relying on traditional vertical integration, the Company is positioned to expand efficiently while supporting resilient, commercially sustainable supply chains across infrastructure, defense, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, energy, and electrification markets. For more information, visit americanresourcescorp.com or connect with the Company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About ReElement Technologies Corporation

ReElement Technologies Corporation, a minority holding of American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ: AREC), is a leading provider of high-performance refining capacity for rare earth elements and critical minerals. Its refining-first, multi-mineral, multi-feedstock platform is designed to process a wide range of inputs - including recycled materials from permanent magnets, lithium-ion batteries, and industrial, defense, and technology waste streams, as well as mined ores, brines, and coal-based byproducts - into high-purity products that support a cost-effective, environmentally responsible, and circular supply chain.

ReElement's innovative and scalable "Powered by ReElement" process leverages its exclusively licensed and internally developed intellectual property, integrating directly into partners' material processing flowsheets to enhance efficiency and adaptability across the global critical mineral supply chain. For more information, visit reelementtech.com or connect with the Company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements or industry results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond American Resources Corporation's control. The words "believes", "may", "will", "should", "would", "could", "continue", "seeks", "anticipates", "plans", "expects", "intends", "estimates", or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Any forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The Company cannot assure you that the projected results or events will be achieved.

Company Contact:
Mark LaVerghetta
317-855-9926 ext. 0
investor@americanresourcescorp.com

SOURCE: American Resources Corporation