Jaguar Uranium Hunts for Rare Earths in Colombian Andes

TORONTO, ON – March 17, 2026 – In a move that underscores the global scramble for critical minerals, newly-listed Jaguar Uranium Corp. announced today it is launching an assessment for rare earth elements (REEs) at its Berlin Project in Colombia. The initiative aims to transform a historically known uranium site into a potential Western Hemisphere hub for materials vital to defense, electric vehicles, and clean energy, directly challenging China's long-standing market dominance.

The Geopolitical Prize: A Western Hemisphere Answer?

The announcement from Jaguar Uranium (NYSE American: JAGU) taps directly into a mounting sense of urgency among Western governments. For years, policymakers in Washington and Brussels have voiced concerns over the world's heavy reliance on China for the mining and processing of rare earths and other critical minerals. These materials are the indispensable ingredients of modern technology, from the powerful magnets in F-35 fighter jets and EV motors to the components of wind turbines and smartphones.

Jaguar's plan at the Berlin Project in Caldas, Colombia, is being positioned as a direct response to this supply chain vulnerability. "We are now attempting to advance the recognition that Berlin could represent a potentially relevant non-China based critical mineral deposits in the western hemisphere and specifically in Latin America," stated Steven Gold, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Uranium, in a press release.

The project is historically reported to contain not just uranium but a suite of valuable elements, including battery commodities like vanadium, nickel, and phosphate, as well as high-value REEs such as neodymium and yttrium. If proven, a deposit of this nature in a U.S.-aligned Latin American nation could be of immense strategic value, offering a potential new node in a more resilient and diversified global supply chain. The move aligns with broader policy shifts, such as the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act and U.S. initiatives, designed to foster and fund such developments.

Unlocking Past Potential: A New Look at Old Rocks

Instead of launching a costly and time-consuming new drilling campaign, Jaguar is employing a more surgical and economically savvy approach. The company will systematically re-analyze more than 20,000 meters of historical drill core that is believed to be preserved from previous exploration activities at the 9,053-hectare site. This will be the first time the company has systematically evaluated the core specifically for its REE content.

This strategy offers a dual advantage: speed and cost-efficiency. By leveraging existing assets, Jaguar hopes to fast-track its understanding of the deposit's potential and generate initial characterization data within the year. The company has outlined a clear three-phase program. The first phase involves logging, photographing, and re-sampling the historic core.

In the second phase, any new assay data for REEs will be integrated with existing datasets for uranium, vanadium, and phosphate. This will allow the company to build a comprehensive multi-element geological model, a crucial step toward a potential multi-commodity resource estimate. The third phase will focus on economics, evaluating how by-product credits from minerals like vanadium, nickel, and the rare earths could significantly improve the financial viability of the entire project, should the resources be proven and deemed economically recoverable.

The Colombian Context: Opportunity Meets Complexity

The Berlin Project is situated in the department of Caldas, a region described by industry players as "mining-friendly" with over 500 years of mining history, robust infrastructure, and a skilled local workforce. The site itself is favorably located approximately 12 kilometers from a hydroelectric power source and 65 kilometers from a river port with access to the Caribbean coast, mitigating many of the logistical hurdles that can plague remote exploration projects.

However, operating in Colombia is not without its challenges. While the national government is actively promoting the country as a future supplier of the world's most-needed critical minerals, it is also pushing for a binding global treaty on traceability and responsible sourcing. Any large-scale mining project faces a complex and layered regulatory environment, requiring extensive environmental and social impact assessments.

Gaining a "social license to operate" from local communities and stakeholders is paramount and often proves more difficult than securing legal permits. For Jaguar Uranium, navigating this landscape will require a deep commitment to environmental stewardship and transparent community engagement as it advances the project from initial assessment to potential development. The success of the Berlin Project will depend as much on its geology as on the company's ability to prove it can be a responsible partner in the region's development.

A Strategic Pivot for a New Player

For Jaguar Uranium, which only completed its $25 million initial public offering on the NYSE American in February 2026, the move is a significant strategic evolution. While its name denotes a focus on the resurgent uranium market—a sector it remains active in with other projects in Argentina—the REE assessment at Berlin signals a broader, multi-commodity ambition.

This diversification adds a compelling layer to the company's investment thesis. It allows Jaguar to tap into two powerful market trends simultaneously: the renewed interest in nuclear energy driving uranium prices to near 16-year highs and the geopolitical push for critical minerals essential to the green energy transition. By exploring the polymetallic potential of its flagship asset, the company could unlock significant value that goes far beyond a single commodity.

The company has a busy year ahead, with initial REE re-sampling results from Berlin expected in 2026. This will be a key catalyst, providing the first concrete data on the project's rare earth potential. Alongside its work in Colombia, Jaguar is also advancing fieldwork at its Laguna Salada project and permitting at the historic Huemul mine in Argentina, solidifying its footprint as a key South America-focused exploration player. The results from the Berlin core samples will be closely watched, as they could mark a pivotal step in establishing a new, Western-oriented critical minerals supply chain.