Aclara Moves Forward by Relinquishing All Water Rights for Penco Rare Earths Project in Chile

TORONTO, ONTARIO / ACCESS Newswire / December 15, 2025 / Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce the early renunciation of all its water rights from the Penco, El Cabrito, Bellavista, and Popen streams located in the Province of Concepción, Biobío Region, in Chile. This decision follows ongoing dialogue with local communities and reflects the Company's commitment to further strengthening the Project's sustainability measures through the use of a 100% recycled water source. The recycled water will be supplied by Essbio, the Concepción water utility, which collects and treats urban water prior to its discharge into the environment. This collaborative solution between Aclara and Essbio aims to preserve local hydric resources and will establish the first fully recycled water supply project in the Biobío region.

This milestone builds on Aclara's previously announced commitment to eliminate freshwater use from natural sources, which was recognized by the UN's Global Compact Network in Chile at the 2024 CONECTA awards, winning the third place for the Company's contribution to advancing the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

This important step, incorporated within the Voluntary Environmental Commitments of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Penco project, has been made possible thanks to Aclara's innovative Circular Mineral Harvesting patented technology promotes the use of 100% recycled water from domestic sources and recirculates 95% of the water resource, without generating liquid industrial waste or tailings.

"With this step we reaffirm our commitment to environmental protection and community wellbeing. Water is a vital resource for both people and our environment, and that is why we have formally renounced all our water appropriation rights. All the technology and innovation efforts implemented by Aclara have gone hand in hand with ongoing dialogue with communities, to whom we have explained in depth our project and the benefits it will bring to the municipality of Penco in employment, investment, and social progress," explained Nelson Donoso, General Manager of Aclara Resources Chile.