ARIANNE PHOSPHATE EXECUTES AN OPTION AGREEMENT FOR ITS PURIFIED PHOSPHORIC ACID DEMONSTRATION PLANT

DAN: TSX-V (Canada)
JE9N: FSE (Germany)
DRRSF: OTCQB (USA)

SAGUENAY, QC, April 21, 2026 /CNW/ - Arianne Phosphate Inc (the "Company" or "Arianne") (TSXV: DAN) (OTCQB: DRRSF) (FRANKFURT: JE9N), a development-stage phosphate mining company, advancing the Lac à Paul project in Quebec's Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement for a facility to be used in the production of purified phosphoric acid ("PPA"). As announced (see Press Release dated November 6, 2025), Arianne Phosphate and Travertine Technologies are partnering to produce PPA, combining Arianne's high-purity phosphate concentrate with Travertine's proprietary acid production process.

Situated in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, the option covers a portion of the infrastructure operated by Énergie Milot, a producer of thermal energy from forest biomass. Located within the Saint-Ludger-de-Milot industrial park, the site has full access to the utilities required for the proper operation of the project.

"The demonstration plant is a first step towards greater production capacity," said Raphael Gaudreault, COO of Arianne Phosphate. "By increasing the scale of production, Arianne and Travertine can show the effectiveness of the process and produce enough end-product to secure future customers. This fits with Arianne's goal of expanding beyond being a miner of phosphate to becoming a downstream provider of purified phosphoric acid."

Arianne and Travertine have been working together to produce PPA on a laboratory scale with results expected in the coming weeks. Purified phosphoric acid has historically been used as a food additive and is also required for pharmaceuticals and semiconductor production. More recently, PPA demand has been accelerating due to its use in lithium-iron-phosphate ("LFP") batteries with shortages projected in the coming years as more EVs are produced and Energy Storage Systems ("ESS") deployed. In particular, demand for energy is accelerating, fueled by the rapid growth of data centers pushed by AI. The power necessary for these data centers will be increasingly dependent on ESS. Currently, these build-outs are reliant on access to LFP batteries, a market that China dominates with over 95% of all production.

The ability to produce PPA is greatly determined by the quality of the phosphate concentrate used as the input. Arianne's phosphate deposit is geologically rare [igneous] allowing it to produce a very high-purity/low-contaminant concentrate that is easily upgraded to PPA. The Company's Lac à Paul project hosts the world's largest greenfield deposit and is the only permitted phosphate mine in the West. Arianne's project is a necessary piece as geopolitics continue to push companies and governments to evaluate their supply chains.

Arianne today is also announcing the retirement of Claude Lafleur from its Board of Directors. "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to express my deep appreciation for his steadfast commitment over the past seven years," said Marco Gagnon, Executive Chairman of the Board of Arianne Phosphate. "His contribution has been instrumental in the advancement of the project, and his judgment, rigor, and in-depth understanding of our challenges have greatly enriched our work and our decision‑making. His contribution has left a lasting impact from which the Company will continue to benefit."

About Arianne Phosphate:
Arianne Phosphate ("Arianne Phosphate Inc.") (www.arianne-inc.com) is developing the Lac à Paul phosphate deposits located approximately 200 km north of the Saguenay/Lac St. Jean area of Quebec, Canada. These deposits will produce a high-quality igneous apatite concentrate grading 39% P₂O₅ with little or no contaminants (Feasibility Study released in 2013).

Qualified Person
Raphael Gaudreault, eng., Qualified Person by Regulation 43-101, has approved the technical information in this release. Mr. Gaudreault is also the Company's Chief Operating Officer.

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.

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Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities regulations in Canada and the United States (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the Company's anticipated quality and production of the apatite concentrate at the Lac à Paul project. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects, "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: unforeseen delays in the execution of the definitive agreements in connection with the credit facility extension or in obtaining regulatory approval; inability to complete the credit facilities extension by the Closing Date; volatile stock price; risks related to changes in commodity prices; sources and cost of power facilities; the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements; the estimation of labour and operating costs; the general global markets and economic conditions; the risk associated with exploration, development and operations of mineral deposits; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources; the risks associated with uninsurable risks arising during the course of exploration, development and production; risks associated with currency fluctuations; environmental risks; competition faced in securing experienced personnel; access to adequate infrastructure to support mining, processing, development and exploration activities; the risks associated with changes in the mining regulatory regime governing the Company; completion of the environmental assessment process; risks related to regulatory and permitting delays; risks related to potential conflicts of interest; the reliance on key personnel; financing, capitalization and liquidity risks including the risk that the financing necessary to fund continued exploration and development activities at Lac à Paul project may not be available on satisfactory terms, or at all; the risk of potential dilution through the issue of common shares; the risk of litigation.

Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made, including but not limited to, the material terms of the credit facility extension having been agreed to by the parties, continued exploration activities, no material adverse change in commodity prices, exploration and development plans proceeding in accordance with plans and such plans achieving their stated expected outcomes, receipt of required regulatory approval, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Arianne Phosphate Inc.

Contact Information: Technical, Raphael Gaudreault, Chief Operating Officer, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]; Info, Brian Ostroff, Head of Strategic & Business Initiatives, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]