American Resources Corporation Announces Along With Its Holding In ReElement Technologies Corporation As Well As Its Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Electrified Materials, Enters A Strategic, Multi-Party Collaboration With Blackion For Battery Recycling

Collaboration unlocks domestic value chain for end-of-life lithium-ion iron phosphate (LFP) batteries

Blackion is a highly connected global battery procurement company

Electrified Materials will process waste battery material into a concentrated feedstock to be refined by ReElement

ReElement is producing and validating battery-grade lithium carbonate from LFP black mass

 American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ:AREC) ("American Resources" or the "Company"), along with its holding in ReElement Technologies Corporation ("ReElement"), a leading U.S. innovator in critical mineral and high value rare earth element (REE) refining, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Electrified Materials Corporation ("Electrified Materials" or "EMCO"), is pleased to announce a strategic, multi-party collaboration with Blackion LLC ("Blackion"), a global circular economy company specializing in end-of-life lithium battery solutions. The collaboration includes a Recycling Services Agreement between Electrified Materials and Blackion, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ReElement and Blackion.

This partnership aims to build a vertically integrated, sustainable supply chain for lithium-ion battery recycling and mineral recovery within the United States. It combines:

Blackion's global sourcing network of end-of-life battery materials,

Electrified Materials' capabilities in storage, disassembly, and pre-processing of lithium-ion batteries, and

ReElement's advanced refining platform to recover and refine battery-grade lithium carbonate from a wide range of battery chemistries - with a focus on LFP (lithium iron phosphate) inputs.

Key Highlights of the Collaboration:

Battery-grade lithium carbonate production: ReElement will refine LFP black mass into high-purity lithium carbonate using its proprietary, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable technology.

Sustainable domestic supply chain: The parties share a commitment to reducing reliance on foreign refining by establishing a closed-loop, U.S.-based battery recycling and mineral recovery ecosystem.

Shared economics model: ReElement and Blackion will share net revenues from the sale of refined battery materials sourced through Blackion's network.

Integrated logistics and recycling services: Electrified Materials will manage secure storage, transportation, battery disassembly, and recycling logistics, all within full regulatory compliance.

Global impact through local execution: The agreement ensures the value-added steps of the battery supply chain remain within the U.S., reinforcing economic and national security goals.

Mark Jensen, CEO and Chairman of ReElement, commented, "This partnership with Blackion is a huge step to bringing real battery recycling solutions in the U.S. to a reality. Historically, the majority of recycled battery material has been shipped back overseas - which ultimately is not supporting American interests in supply chain resilience and independence. Our innovative refining technology allows for battery-grade material to stay here in the U.S. to serve both defense and commercial sectors - as we are able to economically extract and refine lithium back to battery-grade products. We have been working with Douglas for several months and are excited grow our partnership and drive supply chain efficiencies."

Douglas Luciano, Executive Director of Blackion, added, "Combining our team's global reach - including relationships with world-leading battery producers - with ReElement's ability to innovatively drive down cost in delivering battery-grade lithium into the supply chain - is exactly the partnership we have been looking for. Partnering with ReElement and Electrified Materials gives us the technological and operational backbone to recycle at scale and deliver battery-grade lithium to the market cost-effectively and sustainably."

The MOU follows President Trump's March 2025 Executive Order, Immediate Measures to Increase American Production, which emphasizes the urgency of domestic collaboration across the collection, pre-processing, recycling and refining of battery materials which are already in domestic possession.

Blackion has a global network of 150+ partners all focused on accelerating lithium battery recycling. Electrified Material has established the foundational platform to accept, store and preprocess materials containing critical minerals, rare earth elements and ferrous metals. Technically, ReElement's extensive and validated work on LFP recycled battery materials allows for the rapid and efficient ramp up of high value outcomes.

Agreement Terms in Brief:

Under the Recycling Services Agreement between Blackion and Electrified Materials:

EMCO will be responsible for the collection, disassembly, and safe processing of lithium-ion batteries sourced by Blackion.

EMCO will provide certificates of disposal, ensure full compliance with environmental regulations, and coordinate logistics from Blackion's designated storage sites to processing facilities.

EMCO will support ongoing recycling operations, including reporting, invoicing, documentation, and certification within the agreed timelines.

Under the MOU between Blackion and ReElement:

Blackion will source and deliver LFP black mass to ReElement for refinement.

ReElement will refine the black mass into battery-grade lithium carbonate, provide technical output data, and ensure adherence to all regulatory and quality standards.

The parties will establish a mutual revenue-sharing framework from lithium sales, with further terms to be defined in a binding agreement.

Together, the parties are establishing a scalable platform that aligns economic opportunity with national interest and environmental stewardship, further positioning the U.S. as a leader in next-generation energy infrastructure.