Element One Advances Dual-Pathway Natural Hydrogen Strategy Across North America
Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals is advancing a dual-pathway strategy aimed at the nearly 100-million-tonne global hydrogen market, combining exploration for naturally accumulated hydrogen with technology designed to stimulate hydrogen generation directly from iron-rich hard rock.
The approach gives the company exposure to two different models for how geological hydrogen could ultimately be developed. The first follows a more conventional subsurface exploration model: identify hydrogen that has already been generated naturally, migrated through geological structures and accumulated in reservoirs beneath suitable seals.
If such accumulations can be identified, Element One says they could potentially be accessed using drilling and production methods similar to those used by the conventional oil and gas industry.
The second pathway targets the hydrogen-generation process itself. Rather than searching only for gas that has already accumulated underground, Element One is supporting technology intended to accelerate naturally occurring water-rock reactions within reactive ultramafic formations.
Those reactions are commonly associated with serpentinization, where water interacts with iron-bearing minerals and can generate molecular hydrogen. Element One's technology strategy is examining whether proprietary catalysts can accelerate these reactions sufficiently to support continuous or repeatable hydrogen generation.
The distinction gives the company two different technical routes into the emerging natural hydrogen sector: finding geological accumulations that may already exist and stimulating additional hydrogen generation within suitable rocks.
CEO and President Brad Kitchen said the strategy is deliberately structured so that Element One is not dependent on a single theory for how the natural hydrogen industry develops. The company intends to advance exploration capabilities alongside technologies targeting hydrogen generation directly within reactive geological systems.
For its conventional exploration pathway, Element One plans to integrate several components of the natural hydrogen system when evaluating prospective areas.
These include hydrogen-generating source rocks, structural pathways capable of transporting gas, potential reservoir formations, geological traps and seals, and evidence of active or historical subsurface fluid movement.
That exploration framework is intended to be applied initially across the company's existing areas of interest in British Columbia and Alaska, as well as potential future opportunities elsewhere in North America.
The hard-rock pathway introduces a different development concept.
Through an agreement with Stone to H2 and a sponsored research relationship with Columbia University, Element One is supporting laboratory work focused on geological hydrogen stimulation and the potential co-recovery of technology-critical metals.
That connection between hydrogen and critical minerals is central to the company's broader strategy.
The iron-rich rocks capable of participating in hydrogen-generating reactions can also contain minerals such as magnesium and nickel. Element One is therefore examining whether future systems could combine hydrogen generation with recovery of valuable mineral products from the same geological feedstock.
If technically successful, such an approach could create an integrated process rather than treating natural hydrogen and critical minerals as entirely separate businesses. The same rock could potentially provide both an energy product and mineral products, although laboratory research, pilot testing and engineering would be required to establish whether the concept can operate effectively and economically at scale.
The strategy also complements Element One's existing North American portfolio, which spans natural hydrogen and critical mineral opportunities in British Columbia, Washington State and Alaska.
Global hydrogen demand provides the broader backdrop. Element One cites the International Energy Agency's 2025 Global Hydrogen Review, which reported worldwide hydrogen demand approaching 100 million tonnes in 2024. Much of that market already serves established industrial applications, creating a potentially significant addressable market if new geological production methods can ultimately compete with conventional hydrogen supply.
Alongside the technical update, Element One has increased its previously announced LIFE private placement to 7 million units at $0.10 per unit, implying gross proceeds of up to $700,000 if fully subscribed.
Each unit consists of one common share and one warrant exercisable at $0.20 for 36 months beginning 61 days following closing. Element One has closed the first tranche covering 3.5 million units, representing $350,000 in gross proceeds.
The broader Element One strategy is therefore taking shape around three connected elements: exploration for naturally accumulated hydrogen, technology intended to stimulate hydrogen generation from reactive rocks, and potential recovery of critical minerals from those same geological systems.
The two hydrogen pathways remain at different stages from conventional energy development, and the stimulation technology in particular still requires technical validation before its scalability or commercial viability can be established.
Full press release is attached below:
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2026) - Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: EONE) ("Element One" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an overview of its differentiated, dual-pathway strategy for pursuing opportunities within the global hydrogen market, where annual demand reached nearly 100 million tonnes in 2024 (figures from International Energy Agency's 2025 Global Hydrogen Review).
Element One is pursuing two distinct but complementary approaches to natural hydrogen:
- Exploration for naturally accumulated hydrogen that may have migrated through the subsurface and become trapped in geological formations that could be extracted using methods similar to traditional oil and gas drilling; and
- Stimulation of hydrogen generation from iron-rich hard rock, using technology intended to accelerate in real time naturally occurring water-rock reactions known as serpentinization.
Two Pathways to Natural Hydrogen
Natural hydrogen can be produced in several ways, when water reacts with iron-rich minerals found in certain ultramafic rocks, during the natural decay of uranium and thorium in the subsurface and from deep mantle degassing. These natural geological processes can release hydrogen over long periods of time.
In some geological settings, hydrogen may migrate away from its source and accumulate beneath impermeable rock layers. These occurrences can potentially be explored using approaches similar to those employed in conventional subsurface resource exploration.
In other settings, hydrogen may be generated directly within reactive ultramafic rock formations by increasing the contact between water and suitable iron-rich minerals. Element One's technology strategy is designed to investigate whether these naturally occurring reactions can be accelerated through use of proprietary catalysts and controlled to support continuous or repeatable hydrogen generation.
"Our strategy is not dependent on a single theory of how the natural hydrogen industry will develop," commented Brad Kitchen, CEO and President of Element One. "We are advancing the tools required to search for accumulated hydrogen while also supporting the development of technology intended to generate hydrogen directly from reactive hard-rock systems."
"We believe this dual approach is one of Element One's most important competitive advantages. It gives our shareholders exposure to both sides of the emerging natural hydrogen opportunity-exploration and technology-while creating the potential to recover valuable critical minerals from the same geological systems."
Exploring for Hydrogen Accumulations
Element One intends to improve the identification and ranking of geological settings capable of generating, transporting and trapping natural hydrogen.
The Company's intention is to integrate multiple geological and geophysical factors, including:
- The presence of hydrogen-generating source rocks;
- Structural pathways capable of supporting hydrogen migration;
- Potential reservoir rocks;
- Geological traps and seals; and
- Indicators of active or historic subsurface fluid movement.
The Company intends to apply this systematic approach to its existing areas of interest in British Columbia and Alaska and to potential future natural hydrogen opportunities throughout North America.
Stimulating Hydrogen Generation from Hard Rock
Element One is also advancing its interest in proprietary technology designed to stimulate hydrogen-producing reactions within naturally occurring iron-rich rock systems.
Through its agreement with Stone to H2, Inc. and its sponsored research relationship with Columbia University, the Company is supporting laboratory research focused on geologic hydrogen stimulation and the potential co-recovery of technology-critical metals.
Importantly, the same iron-rich rocks capable of producing hydrogen may also contain magnesium, nickel and other valuable minerals. This creates the possibility of developing integrated systems capable of producing clean energy while recovering critical-mineral products from the same feedstock.
LIFE Private Placement Update
The Company announces that it has increased to size of the private placement previously announced on August 9, 2026 to 7.0 million units. Each LIFE unit being issued at $0.10 per unit consists of one common share in the capital of the company and one 20 cent share purchase warrant. Each warrant issued under the LIFE offering shall entitle the holder thereof to acquire an additional common share at a price of 20 cents for a period of 36 months from the date that is 61 days following the closing date of the LIFE offering. The Company has filed an amended and restated offering document to reflect the Offering upsize. The Company further announces that it has closed the first tranche of the Offering of 3,500,000 Units of the Company.
About Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp.
Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: EONE) is building an integrated North American natural hydrogen and critical minerals platform focused on advancing secure, domestic energy and critical minerals supply chains. Through a growing portfolio of strategic resource assets, proprietary technologies and industry partnerships, the Company is advancing the exploration, development and commercialization of natural hydrogen, magnesium and other critical minerals. Element One's projects span British Columbia, Washington State and Alaska and are supported by collaborations with world-class research institutions, including Columbia University, and strategic partnerships with industry, Indigenous communities and government.
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For further information visit our website at www.e1-h2.com.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Brad Kitchen
President and Chief Executive Officer
Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp.
Email: bkitchen@e1-h2.com
Telephone: 604.506.7555
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Company's exploration, testing, engineering, development, commercialization and marketing plans; proposed pilot-scale and demonstration-facility activities; the potential production of magnesium, magnesium compounds, hydrogen and other critical minerals; the scalability and commercial viability of technologies; future field programs; and anticipated timing of the Company's activities.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
