CRML Stock Up 166% in 2026, Eyes $32 as DOAA Deep Sea Mining, Saudi and Greenland Drill Fuel Rally
Strong Greenland drill results and fresh rare earth geopolitics have propelled a dramatic re-rating of the stock, giving Critical Metals...
Quick overview
- Critical Metals Corp. has experienced a significant stock rebound in 2026, rising approximately 165% in the first three weeks of the year due to strong drill results and favorable geopolitical conditions.
- The company is expanding its growth narrative through partnerships in Saudi Arabia aimed at establishing rare earth processing capacity, which enhances market access and reduces supply chain reliance.
- Recent regulatory changes in the U.S. have modernized the permitting process for rare earth mining, providing a more efficient framework that could benefit the sector.
- Initial assay results from the Tanbreez rare earth project in Greenland have confirmed consistent rare earth grades, bolstering confidence in the project's long-term development potential.
Strong Greenland drill results and fresh rare earth geopolitics have propelled a dramatic re-rating of the stock, giving Critical Metals Corp. an explosive start to 2026.
A Powerful Rebound After a Turbulent 2025
After a sharp correction from its October highs, Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML) has staged a dramatic comeback to start 2026. The stock, which soared above $30 late last year before entering a deep pullback, is once again firmly on investors’ radar. On Thursday, January 22, shares jumped roughly 20% in a single session, extending a rally that has now lifted the stock by around 166% in the first three weeks of the year.
The renewed strength follows months of consolidation that tested investor conviction. Late 2025 was marked by fading momentum, profit-taking, and broader risk-off conditions across the small-cap mining space. That phase now appears to be giving way to a fresh growth narrative built on tangible operational progress and improving sector sentiment.
Saudi Partnerships Expand the Growth Narrative
Critical Metals’ momentum is no longer confined to Greenland. Partnerships being developed in Saudi Arabia aim to establish rare earth processing capacity, addressing a key bottleneck in the global supply chain. Moving downstream adds strategic value by improving market access and potential margins, while reducing reliance on existing processing hubs.
While execution risk remains, these initiatives reflect a deliberate shift toward securing offtake and scaling beyond pure exploration—supporting expectations for higher output and longer-term commercial relevance.
Regulatory Shifts Improve the Policy Backdrop
Policy developments in the U.S. have also helped revive interest across the strategic metals space. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s final rule, effective January 21, 2026, modernises permitting under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act.
The updated framework allows companies to submit a consolidated application covering both exploration and commercial recovery, while integrating exploration-phase environmental and technical data into later-stage permits. By reducing duplication and potentially shortening review timelines, the rule signals a more pragmatic regulatory approach—an incremental but meaningful tailwind for the sector.
Greenland Drill Results Reignite Confidence
The immediate catalyst for the latest surge came from initial assay results released from the company’s 2025 drilling program at the Tanbreez rare earth project in Greenland. Results from both the Fjord Deposit and the Upper Fjord areas confirmed consistent rare earth grades and highlighted the presence of several strategically important metals.
Critical Metals reported intersections containing gallium, hafnium, cerium, and yttrium, reinforcing the view that Tanbreez represents a large-scale, peralkaline-hosted rare earth system with significant long-term development potential. Management emphasized that the new data adds incremental mineralized tonnage to the existing Hill and Lower Fjord Deposits, strengthening confidence in the project’s size, continuity, and future economics.
CEO Tony Sage described the results as another step toward validating Tanbreez as a globally relevant rare earth asset, particularly at a time when supply diversification has become a strategic priority.
Technical Momentum Strengthens the Upside Case
From a market-structure perspective, CRML’s rebound has been equally notable. The stock found a durable base near $6.80 late last year, an area where several key moving averages converged and selling pressure began to fade. Since the start of January, buying interest has accelerated steadily.
CRML Chart Daily – Rebounding Off the 100 SMA
Shares are now trading above $18, after briefly touching the $19.60 area earlier in the US session. The $20 level has emerged as the next psychological hurdle, while the October all-time high near $32.15 looms as a longer-term resistance zone should momentum continue to build.
Geopolitics Revive the Rare Earth Narrative
Beyond company-specific developments, the broader rare earth landscape has turned more supportive. Renewed tensions between the United States and China, along with ongoing policy discussions around securing domestic and allied supply chains, have reignited interest in non-Chinese rare earth producers.
China’s previous export restrictions, combined with tougher US rhetoric on trade and technology controls, have underscored the strategic value of assets like Tanbreez. This shifting geopolitical backdrop has also lifted sentiment across the sector more broadly, supporting gains in other rare earth-linked names.
Outlook: Volatile, but Strategically Compelling
After months of consolidation, Critical Metals is benefiting from the alignment of operational execution and a favorable macro narrative. While volatility remains inherent in early-stage mining equities, the strong start to 2026 suggests investors are once again focusing on the long-term strategic importance of rare earth assets outside China, with CRML firmly back in the spotlight.
A slew of developments has set the stage for growth for CRML. In Saudi Arabia, partnerships aim to establish processing facilities for rare earth elements. These steps paint a picture of growth, a sort of calculated gamble where expectations are high on increasing output and securing markets.
A key catalyst behind the renewed enthusiasm has been regulatory news out of Washington. The Metals Company welcomed the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s final rule, effective January 21, 2026, which modernises the permitting process under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act.
The revised framework allows applicants to submit a consolidated application covering both exploration licences and commercial recovery permits. Importantly, it enables companies to incorporate environmental, geological, and engineering data gathered during the exploration phase directly into commercial applications, reducing duplication and potentially shortening review timelines.
- Check out our free forex signals
- Follow the top economic events on FX Leaders economic calendar
- Trade better, discover more Forex Trading Strategies
- Open a FREE Trading Account
Save