Preliminary access road and powerline assessment strengthens development pathway and highlights emerging logistics advantage under Quebec's northern infrastructure buildout

Ottawa, Ontario - Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2026 - Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV: FMS) (OTCQB: FCSMF) (FSE: FKC0) ("Focus" or the "Company") a Canadian developer of high-grade flake graphite deposits and advanced graphite materials for battery, defence, and industrial applications, is pleased to announce that it has engaged Norda-Stelo ("Norda"), a leading Canadian engineering firm specializing in infrastructure design, transportation engineering and energy systems, to conduct corridor selection and preliminary evaluation of access road and electrical infrastructure options for its Lac Knife Graphite Project ("Lac Knife" or the "Project") in Quebec. Formerly known as Groupe-Conseil Roche, Norda has extensive experience supporting infrastructure development across Quebec, including work associated with the broader Highway 389 corridor. The work will be coordinated from Norda's Saguenay—Chicoutimi office and will be conducted under the supervision and management of IOS Geosciences Inc. ("IOS"), the Company's geological consultant and general contractor for the Project. The mandate includes identifying and recommending optimal corridor for a new all-season access road linking the Project site to the newly upgraded section of Quebec's Highway 389, currently under reconstruction a few kilometres north of the Project as part of the province's northern infrastructure strategy. The mandate also includes evaluating the optimal corridor for the construction of a private powerline connection. The study will include:

• Final corridor selection for a year-round gravel access road of approximately 6-10 kilometres
• Preliminary geotechnical, hydrological and environmental planning
• Conceptual design of an approximately 30-kilometres private 35.5-kilovolt powerline
• Evaluation of grid connection options to Hydro-Quebec's Normand or Bloom Lake substations

The engineering evaluation is expected to be delivered by the end of May 2026, enabling environmental baseline work and geotechnical surveys to be conducted during the summer 2026 field season. Permanent site access and reliable electrical power will be critical for future development phases of the Project, including the construction and operation of a planned pilot-scale processing facility. "Infrastructure is fundamental to the long-term development of Lac Knife. As we advance the project toward future permitting and development activities, establishing reliable road and power access strengthens our logistical advantage and reinforces the project's potential to supply high-grade graphite to North American and international battery, defence and advanced materials supply chains," said Dean Hanisch, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Graphite. The Company believes the ongoing modernization of Quebec's Highway 389 corridor represents a significant infrastructure catalyst for the Project. While Lac Knife is currently accessible by vehicle via existing unmaintained dirt roads and trails, including the historical Comstock-Mazarin route, these routes are not designed for large-scale, year-round industrial operations and may become difficult to access during winter months. A permanent access road connecting Lac Knife to the upgraded Highway 389 corridor would provide year-round transportation access for personnel and equipment, improved mine construction logistics, safer and more reliable workforce mobility, and efficient shipment of graphite concentrate toward downstream processing facilities and global markets. Highway 389 is currently being modernized under Quebec's Route 389 Improvement Program, led by the Ministere des Transports et de la Mobilite durable (MTMD) and supported by the Societe du Plan Nord. The Quebec Infrastructure Plan 2025-2035 lists the project among the province's major northern infrastructure investments, with approximately $493 million allocated to reconstruction work between Fire Lake and Fermont, with construction continuing through the coming decade. The corridor forms a key transportation link across Quebec's Cote-Nord and Labrador Trough mining region, connecting resource projects to industrial infrastructure and the deep-water port of Baie-Comeau, approximately 520 kilometres south of Lac Knife. The Company has applied for federal and provincial infrastructure funding programs related to the proposed access road and powerline development and is currently awaiting the results of those applications. The Company believes the scope of work aligns with government priorities supporting critical minerals development, northern infrastructure investment, secure battery, defence and advanced material supply chains, and regional economic development. Chairman Converts Portion of Loan to Equity The Company is also pleased to announce that Chairman Jeff...