Announcement PDF 23 April 2026 1 FIREBIRD AWARDED A$2,000,000 IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GRANT FUNDING Non-Dilutive Funding to Advance World-First Manganese Concentrate-to-Cathode Processing Technology and Australian Demonstration Plant • Firebird Metals awarded a A$2,000,000 grant from the Federal Government under the Australian Renewable Energy Agency's (ARENA) Battery Breakthrough Initiative (BBI) Program. • The grant will support the Company's Australian Demonstration Plant (ADP), a world-first fully integrated facility designed to process manganese ore directly to cathode active materials (CAM) for the electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage systems (ESS) markets. • This cash funding represents a major independent validation of Firebird's proprietary technology platform by an internationally respected Australian Government agency following an extensive technical and commercial due diligence process. • Firebird's technology is unique globally, it removes conventional processing steps, features proprietary and patented equipment, is energy and capital efficient, ore agnostic, and spans the full value chain from manganese feedstock through to finished LMFP and LMR cathode materials. • Strengthens the strategic case for sovereign production of advanced lithium manganese cathode materials, a critical segment of the battery supply chain currently dominated by Chinese processors. • Grant funding is non-dilutive and does not grant ARENA any rights to Firebird's current or future intellectual property. • ARENA funding will be matched by Firebird Metal’s existing funds at hand. Australian-owned Firebird Metals Limited (“FRB”, “Firebird” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a A$2,000,000 grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) under its Battery Breakthrough Initiative (BBI) Program to support the development of the Company's Australian Demonstration Plant (ADP). The ARENA grant follows an extensive due diligence process, including independent technical review, and represents a significant endorsement of Firebird's proprietary manganese processing technology and the strategic importance of establishing cathode active material production capability in a Western jurisdiction. 23 April 2026 2 The ADP is designed to demonstrate Firebird's world-first, fully integrated technology platform, converting manganese ore directly into high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM), precursor cathode active material (p-CAM), and finished cathode active material (CAM) within a single facility and process line. This integrated approach removes conventional intermediate processing steps, delivering significant energy, capital and operating cost advantages. Figure 1. Model diagram and layout of the proposed Australian Demonstration Plant (ADP) to be constructed in Perth, Western Australia. 23 April 2026 3 ARENA CEO, Darren Miller, said: “Batteries are critical to delivering reliable, affordable and low-emissions energy and battery manufacturing is a key part of Australia’s energy transition and economic future. “Firebird Metals’ Perth demonstration-scale facility is an important step toward building domestic capability to convert Australian manganese into battery cathode materials, strengthening supply chain resilience and supporting the growth of next-generation battery manufacturing.” Firebird CEO, Ron Mitchell, commented: “The award of this ARENA grant is a defining moment for Firebird Metals. It represents an independent, rigorous validation by the Australian Government of our proprietary technology, a world-first integrated process that converts manganese ore directly into finished cathode active materials for next generation lithium-ion batteries applied in the EV and ESS markets. “LMFP is rapidly emerging as the cathode chemistry of choice for a significant portion of the global EV and energy storage market, yet virtually all the world's LMFP cathode material is currently produced in China. Firebird is building the technology and the facility to change that and this ARENA grant accelerates our pathway to demonstrating that capability right here in Australia, specifically, WA. “The funding directly supports the construction and commissioning of our Australian Demonstration Plant, which we intend to be the world's first fully integrated manganese-to- CAM processing facility outside China. This is the kind of sovereign manufacturing capability that Australia, and the broader Western battery supply chain, urgently needs." Firebird Chairman, Evan Cranston, added: “This grant is significant not just for the funding it provides, but for what it signals. ARENA's decision to back Firebird, after a thorough independent technical review, confirms that our technology is credible, commercially relevant, and strategically important. “As Western governments and major industrial players accelerate efforts to de-risk battery supply chains from Chinese dependency, Firebird is positioned at the intersection of technology innovation and geopolitical necessity. The ARENA grant strengthens our hand as we engage with the large offtake partners, licensees, and project financiers that will be critical to scaling our technology beyond the ADP." 23 April 2026 4 Firebird's Proprietary Technology, A World First Firebird's technology platform is unique and represents a genuine breakthrough in manganese-based battery material processing. The core innovations — including the Company's high-efficiency kiln technology, advanced crystallisation processes, and cathode material formulations — are protected by five LMFP patents exclusively licenced to Firebird for all markets outside China through to 2045. The technology delivers a fully integrated processing pathway: Manganese Feedstock → HPMSM (in solution) → p-CAM → CAM (LMFP / LMR) What distinguishes Firebird's approach is its ability to collapse what has traditionally been a fragmented, multi-facility, multi-country supply chain into a single integrated process. The technology is ore agnostic, testing has demonstrated that it can be applied across multiple manganese ore types without impacting product specifications and it is designed to be energy efficient, capital light, and operationally cost competitive. The technology spans all key processing steps: hydrometallurgy, purification, p-CAM manufacture and CAM production. Strategic Significance, Sovereign Cathode Material Production Outside China The global battery supply chain for manganese-based cathode materials remains overwhelmingly concentrated in China. The processing of manganese ore into battery- grade cathode materials, particularly LMFP, which is rapidly gaining market share as a preferred cathode chemistry, is almost entirely undertaken by Chinese processors. Top EV producer, BYD revealed their Blade Battery 2.0 in March 2026, boasting improved driving performance, range and charge speed using a lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) cathode. This concentration of supply represents a critical vulnerability for Western battery manufacturers, automotive OEMs, and energy storage developers seeking to diversify their supply chains. Governments across Australia, the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Korea have identified cathode material supply chain sovereignty as a strategic priority. Firebird's ADP represents one of the first credible pathways globally to produce LMFP cathode materials from manganese ore in a first-tier mining jurisdiction. The ARENA grant provides further validation that the Australian Government recognises both the strategic imperative and the credibility of Firebird's technology to deliver on it. This aligns directly with the Australian Government's Critical Minerals Strategy, its energy storage priorities, and broader Net Zero 2050 commitments. 23 April 2026 5 Validation of Firebird's Technology The award of an ARENA grant follows a rigorous and independent assessment of the Company's technology, commercial strategy, and development pathway. ARENA's due diligence process is widely recognised as thorough and technically demanding, and the decision to award funding to Firebird is a strong endorsement of: • The technical viability and commercial potential of Firebird's integrated manganese-to-CAM processing technology; • The Company's management team and development pathway from pilot and demonstration scale to commercial production; and • The strategic relevance of the ADP to Australia's renewable energy, critical minerals and supply chain resilience objectives. Supporting the Australian Demonstration Plant The ARENA funding directly supports key activities required to advance the ADP including equipment purchasing, commissioning and operation. ARENA – Battery Breakthrough Initiative (BBI) The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is an Australian Government agency established to support the global transition to net zero emissions by accelerating the pace of pre-commercial innovation. Since its establishment in 2012, ARENA has supported more than 800 projects with over A$3 billion in grant funding, unlocking a total investment of almost A$15 billion across Australia's renewable energy industry. The Battery Breakthrough Initiative, under which Firebird received grant funding, is a $500 million funding program delivered by ARENA. The Program is a key part of the National Battery Strategy and its design has been settled in consultation with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR). The Battery Breakthrough Initiative aims to support and grow battery manufacturing in Australia, provide clean energy opportunities for Australia’s workforce and allow Australia to leverage its expertise in energy storage. The grant agreement with Firebird is for an amount of up to $A2,000,000 and contains provisions commonly found in government grant agreements of comparable size, nature and type, including customary administrative preconditions and reporting requirements. Firebird will be reimbursed up to $A2,000,000 by the grant, subject to meeting agreed milestones related to various operational deliverables. The grant funding is non-dilutive and does not grant ARENA any rights to the current or future intellectual property being developed. 23 April 2026 6 Next Steps Final ADP site selection is nearing completion, and investors can expect an announcement in the coming weeks. Activities under the ARENA grant will commence immediately as set out in the three agreed milestones below: Milestone Description 1 Project Commencement, Site Selection and Equipment Procurement 2 Construction and Equipment Installation 3 Commissioning and Operations The Company will continue to engage with customers, potential partners and strategic investors as the ADP advances toward operation. This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Firebird Metals Limited. For further information contact: Ron Mitchell CEO E: ron.mitchell@firebirdmetals.com.au Ph: +61 407 726 325 - END - 23 April 2026 7 About Firebird Metals Limited (ASX:FRB) Firebird is a wholly owned Australian processing technology company focused on advanced manganese-based lithium-ion battery materials positioned in the EV and energy storage markets. Firebird has proprietary, fully patented technology that allows for the direct processing of manganese ore to cathode active materials (CAM) within a single facility and process line. The Company's state-of-the-art lab and research facility demonstrate full flow-sheet capability, from manganese ore to finished battery active cathode materials. Firebird pairs downstream processing know-how with proprietary technologies, including a high- efficiency kiln and advanced crystallisation, targeting lower cost and energy use and enabling near-term revenue via equipment sales and licensing. Firebird is advancing a lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) and lithium manganese rich (LMR) pathway to near-term production of high-purity manganese sulphate and an LMR program for next-generation cathodes. Firebird also holds 234 Mt of manganese resources in Western Australia, led by Oakover (176.7 Mt at 9.9% Mn, including Indicated 105.8 Mt at 10.1% Mn1 ) and Hill 616 (57.5 Mt at 12.2% Mn2 ). The Company has the flexibility to source manganese ore through third- party suppliers and stockpiles, with mining optionality retained within its broader portfolio. JORC Compliance Statement This announcement contains references to Mineral Resource Estimates, which have been reported in compliance with Listing Rule 5.8 and extracted from previous ASX announcements as referenced. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information previously reported and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the Mineral Resource Estimates continue to apply and have not materially changed. 1 See ASX announcement dated 23 March 2023: Indicated Resource of 105.8Mt at 10.1%; Inferred Resource of 70.9Mt at 9.6% for global Resource of 176.7 Mt at 9.9% Mn. 2 See ASX announcement dated 1 December 2021: Inferred Resource of 57.5 Mt at 12.2% Mn.