Announcement PDF Annual Report 2026 Important Information This Annual Report covers Core Lithium Ltd (“Core”, the “Parent” or the “Company”) and its subsidiaries, collectively referred to as “the Group”. The financial report is presented in Australian dollars. Core is a company limited by shares, incorporated and domiciled in Australia. The Company’s registered office and principal place of business is: Core Lithium Limited Level 4, 186 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 Contents Acknowledgment of Country Core acknowledges First Nations people, the traditional custodians of the land on which we work throughout Australia. We pay our respects to the people and cultures, and to their elders past and present. We recognise their connection to land, water and community, and their rich contribution to society. Chair’s Letter 2 Managing Director and CEO’s Letter 6 Review of Operations 10 Sustainability 26 Mineral Resource and Ore Reserves Statement 34 Tenement Schedule 42 Directors’ Report 44 Auditor's Independence Declaration 72 Financial Report 74 Independent Auditor’s Report 116 ASX Additional Information 119 Corporate Information 121 Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 1 Dear Core shareholders, The past year has been one of the most significant in Core's history. We have taken a major step in re-establishing Core as a significant Australian lithium producer, following a disciplined and well-executed restart strategy at our Finniss Lithium Operation in the Northern Territory. This achievement reflects the quality of the Finniss asset, the capability of our team and the confidence of our strategic partners and shareholders. Mining has now commenced and with it, a new chapter for the Company. Since securing funding and making a Final Investment Decision (FID) in March, our focus has been on delivery and execution. We successfully transitioned Finniss from care and maintenance back into an active mining operation through a carefully executed restart strategy, positioning Finniss for long-term success as a reliable Australian lithium operation. The milestones achieved so far reflect the quality of our assets, our strategic location in the Northern Territory, the strength of our team, and the confidence placed in us by our strategic partners and shareholders. Finniss is underpinned by strong fundamentals, including a 20-year mine life, estimated nameplate spodumene concentrate production of 214ktpa and a steady-state mining rate of 1.2Mtpa. Chair’s Letter With funding secured and execution well underway, our focus is on delivery and meeting operational and development milestones. Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 2 Executing the Restart Strategy In the months following FID, we awarded key mining contracts, transitioned to active mining, commenced underground development and launched the Blackbeard exploration program. The Core team transitioned Finniss from care and maintenance back into active mining operations in a matter of months, demonstrating the effectiveness of our restart strategy and the capability of the team. The staged approach, starting with Grants open pit mining and processing and followed by BP33 underground development is capital efficient, low risk and designed to generate early revenue while progressing toward steady state production. With funding secured and execution well underway, our focus is on delivery and meeting operational and development milestones. We are on track for first spodumene concentrate shipment from Grants in the December quarter of CY26. First ore from BP33 underground is targeted for mid-CY27, with the operation expected to reach steady state of 1.2Mtpa by mid-CY28. Safety and Our People With mining and underground development underway, the safety of our people remains paramount. As activity across Finniss continues to increase, maintaining a safe workplace will remain our highest priority, and we are committed to maintaining a strong safety culture across all aspects of our operations. During FY26 we recorded no lost time injuries, a record that reflects the strong safety culture established across our workforce and contracting partners. Community and Sustainability Having a positive impact on the local community in which we operate also remains a top priority. As Finniss returns to operation, we are focused on creating employment and development opportunities for people in the Northern Territory and building a highly skilled local workforce to support the long-term success of the operation. We maintain a close and constructive relationship with the Northern Territory Government and we are committed to operating in a manner that delivers lasting benefits to the region through local employment, procurement and community engagement. Lithium Market Outlook The lithium market continues to experience near-term volatility as the industry transitions through a period of significant investment, supply chain adjustment and market rebalancing. However, the long-term fundamentals remain compelling, with demand growth expected to be driven by continued electric vehicle adoption, expanding grid-scale energy storage capacity and broader global electrification trends. The strategic importance of securing critical mineral supply chains continues to increase, particularly in jurisdictions like Australia that offer a strong regulatory framework and responsible mining practices. With a permitted, funded and production-ready asset in Australia, Core is well positioned to participate in the next phase of lithium market growth. The milestones achieved so far reflect the quality of our assets, our strategic location in the Northern Territory, the strength of our team, and the confidence placed in us by our strategic partners and shareholders. Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 3 Board Changes Following Greg English’s retirement from the Board on 30 June, I was honoured to be appointed Chair. Together with the Board, I want to thank Greg for his leadership and guidance over a long period. Greg served as Chair for sixteen years since incorporation and made an enormous contribution to Core through several periods of significant transformation and growth, including first ore from Finniss. During the year, the Board was pleased to appoint Paul Brown as Managing Director, reflecting the Board’s confidence in his ability to lead Core through its transition from restart phase into production and its next phase of growth. We also welcomed Mark Hine as a Non-Executive Director. Mark brings more than 35 years of experience in the resources industry, with extensive underground mining and operational leadership that will be invaluable as we advance operations and development at Finniss. Subsequent to year end, we welcomed Anna Neuling as a Non-Executive Director and announced the retirement of Heath Hellewell following 12 years of service to Core. Anna has a strong finance and mining background and will also assume the role of Chair of the Audit Committee. Heath’s insights on the development of Core’s exploration strategy, resource development and first production have been significant and we thank him for his contribution and his role as first chair of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Looking Ahead In closing, I would like to thank my fellow Directors, our Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Brown, the senior management team, and all employees for their dedication and commitment throughout the year. I especially acknowledge the focus, determination and commitment of the team in bringing Finniss back into operation and positioning Core for long-term success. To our shareholders, thank you for your continued support. I have great confidence in our leadership team and in the significant potential of our world-class asset at Finniss. As we continue to execute our strategy, I look forward to sharing our progress in the year ahead. This period of board renewal strengthens Core’s strategic capability as we continue to focus on meeting production milestones, disciplined cost control and our next phase of growth. Malcolm McComas Non-Executive Chair Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 4 Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 5 Dear Core shareholders, I am pleased to report on a year of significant operational and strategic progress for Core. FY26 was a transformational year, culminating in the successful restart of the Finniss Lithium Operation. Finniss has been repositioned as a lower-cost, de-risked and long-life Australian lithium operation with strong underlying economics, providing a platform for Core’s next phase of growth as we transition from restart execution into production. Funding and Strategic Partnerships A defining moment of the year was the approval of the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the Finniss restart, supported by the successful execution of a fully funded restart package. Secured through a competitive, nine-month process, the funding package provides the capital required to progress the operation through the development of BP33 and toward steady-state production, providing Core with funding certainty through the development phase regardless of short-term market conditions. The funding package was comprised of an A$120m equity raise from institutional investors and US$120 million (~A$170 million) from our consortium partners comprising Glencore Australia Holdings Pty Limited, InfraVia Capital Partners and Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund II, LP. This included a US$70 million (~A$100 million) Convertible Note from Glencore and InfraVia, and a US$50 million (~A$70 million) Senior Secured Loan from Nebari. Our strategic partners bring deep expertise across marketing, project execution and mining operations. Their long-term support provides enhanced commercial and financial flexibility, while providing access to premium global sales channels. Earlier in the year, we also completed an A$50 million equity raising to strengthen our balance sheet and accelerate critical restart activities. Managing Director and CEO’s Letter To our shareholders, thank you for your continued support. We enter the year ahead with confidence in our team, our assets and our strategy. Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 6 Mining During the year, we awarded two cornerstone contracts underpinning the Finniss restart. For the Grants open pit, we awarded an A$50 million surface mining contract to NRW Pty Ltd for an 11-month period. First blast and excavation activities have begun, marking the recommencement of mining at Finniss. Grants is a low-strip, near-term ore source that supports early revenue generation. For BP33, we awarded an A$274 million underground mining contract to Develop Global Limited for a three-year term, with an option for a two-year extension. BP33 is central to the long-term Finniss operation, offering more than 10 years of mine life, significant exploration upside, and low-cost production supported by scale and operating flexibility. Underground development is underway, with Develop mobilised to site, the portal cut completed and underground decline works advancing. The underground development is progressing alongside ongoing open pit mining at Grants, with both projects tracking in line with plan. Our focus remains on the safe and disciplined execution of the Grants and BP33 mining operations and development, ensuring delivery on schedule and within budget. We remain on track for the first spodumene concentrate shipment in the December quarter. Production from Grants is expected to generate near-term cash flow, further strengthening the Company's liquidity position alongside the secured funding package. Importantly, Grants cash flows were not included in the sources of funds underpinning the financing secured to develop BP33 through to steady-state production. Logistics Alongside our mining and development progress, we have commissioned our logistics and transport chains and put in place the commercial arrangements to support operations. The Finniss logistics chain is fully operational, with our first shipment of 20kt stockpiled lithium fines and 5kt of stockpiled spodumene concentrate successfully exported via Darwin Port in June 2026, which was a tangible demonstration of our operational progress. Completing the sales of our stockpiled material was part of a deliberate strategy to generate additional cash and further enhance our financial flexibility while ramping up operations at Finniss. During FY26, our total stockpile sales of 5kt spodumene concentrate and 45kt lithium fines generated revenues of approximately A$28.5 million. Following year-end, we completed the sale of the remaining 25kt lithium fines stockpile, bringing total revenue generated from our stockpile sales to approximately A$38.5 million. Another key development was the execution of a marketing agreement with Glencore. Under the five-year agreement, Glencore will market and sell all spodumene concentrate produced by Core, leveraging its global platform while we retain full flexibility to place offtake and refer customers directly. This provides Core with complete marketing flexibility, with all future spodumene concentrate production remaining available for direct offtake agreements or spot sales. Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 7 Growth and Portfolio Focus During the year we sharpened our focus on the Finniss Lithium Operation. We divested our interests in our non-core uranium assets – the Napperby, Fitton and Entia Uranium Projects – to Elevate Uranium Ltd for A$5 million. Core retains a 1% royalty on any future production from EL31449, which hosts the Napperby Project, providing additional long-term upside. We also announced the spin-out of our Northern Territory and South Australian gold exploration assets into a new gold- focused ASX-listed exploration company, Axiant Resources Limited. Core will retain 100% of its lithium rights across these tenements and retain a meaningful strategic shareholding in Axiant following completion of the IPO – unlocking value from non-core assets while keeping the Company focused on operations and development at Finniss. On the exploration front, our CY26 program focuses on the high-priority Blackbeard prospect. Located within 20km of Finniss, Blackbeard is a high-grade lithium prospect and represents Core's priority growth opportunity beyond the current 1.2Mtpa plant capacity. Drilling commenced in the June quarter, with the primary objective of advancing the Blackbeard prospect toward a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate. Complementing this, Core acquired the Bynoe Lithium tenement from Charger Metals NL, covering approximately 63km2 of land within the Finniss tenement area that surrounds the Blackbeard prospect. This acquisition further strengthens our position within the Bynoe pegmatite field and consolidates our landholding surrounding Blackbeard, providing additional exploration upside. Outlook We ended the year with a strong cash balance of A$182 million as at 30 June 2026. With an additional A$103 million of committed funding and expected receipts, together with potential early cash flows from Grants, we remain well positioned and fully funded to support the development of BP33 and the ramp-up toward production. Disciplined capital allocation remains a priority as we deploy capital purposefully in support of our operational milestones and long-term value creation. The progress made this year reflects the commitment of our team and the strength of the Finniss assets. We have a clear pathway to production, a fully funded balance sheet, world-class strategic partners and a growing resource base. The work ahead is significant, but so is the opportunity. I would also like to thank Greg English for his leadership and guidance over many years at Core. His contribution has been instrumental in supporting the Board’s strategic oversight and maintaining disciplined decision-making through a period of significant transformation for both the Company and the lithium sector. I also welcome Malcolm McComas as our new Chair. Having served on the Board as a Non-Executive Director, he brings a deep understanding of the Company and the sector, and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to execute our strategy. In closing, I would like to thank our Board, management team and all my colleagues for their commitment and hard work throughout the year. To our shareholders, thank you for your continued support. We enter the year ahead with confidence in our team, our assets and our strategy, and remain focused on safely delivering Finniss into production and realising the full potential of this significant Australian lithium asset. The progress made this year reflects the commitment of our team and the strength of the Finniss assets. Paul Brown Managing Director and CEO Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 8 Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 9 Core successfully secured funding for the Finniss restart through a diversified financing package supported by strategic partners and institutional investors, ensuring a fully funded restart solution. Review of Operations Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 10 FINNISS PROJECT PERTH HEAD OFFICE N DARWIN 680,000mE 700,000mE Lithium Deposit and Processing Plant Carlton Lithium Deposit BP33 Lithium Deposit Blackbeard Prospect KILOMETRES 0 20 NORTHERN TERRITORY 8,620,000mN 8,560,000mN Core ML Sealed Road Road Gas Pipeline East Arm Port Gas Power Plant 310MW Lithium Deposit Processing Plant Highway Bynoe Pegmatite Field Rail Road Pegmatite Prospect Core EL FINNISS PROJECT PERTH HEAD OFFICE N DARWIN 700,000mE Lithium Deposit and Processing Plant Carlton Lithium Deposit BP33 Lithium Deposit Blackbeard Prospect KILOMETRES 0 20 Core ML Sealed Road Road Gas Pipeline East Arm Port Gas Power Plant 310MW Lithium Deposit Processing Plant Highway Bynoe Pegmatite Field Rail Road Pegmatite Prospect Core EL Figure 1: Finniss Lithium Operation Overview The Finniss Lithium Operation (Finniss) comprises more than 500 km2 of highly prospective tenure within the Bynoe Pegmatite Field in the Northern Territory. Following the discovery of lithium at Finniss in 2016, Core rapidly defined a substantial Mineral Resource and developed mining, processing and associated infrastructure, with more than $250 million invested prior to the suspension of mining and processing operations in 2024, due to weak lithium market conditions. Following completion of a comprehensive Restart Study and optimisation program in FY25, which focused on reducing costs, improving operating efficiency and repositioning Finniss as a lower-cost, long-life lithium operation, the Company secured a fully funded restart package and the Board approved the Final Investment Decision (FID) on 18 March 20261 . The improved economics of the operation and a de-risked execution plan enabled the successful restart of Finniss, with mining and development activities, including underground development, plant optimisation and site preparation works, commencing during the year and positioning the operation for a return to spodumene concentrate production in FY27. Finniss Lithium Operation 1. Refer to ASX announcement “FID Approved and Funding Secured for Finniss Restart” on 18 March 2026 for further information. Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 11 FID Approved and Funding Secured for Restart The FID to restart operations at Finniss was approved in March 2026. This was a significant milestone for the Company, following extensive technical work and engagement with strategic partners during the year. The FID followed completion of a comprehensive restart plan, updated mine planning, front-end engineering and design work, and refined operating strategies to reposition Finniss as a lower cost, long life lithium operation. Core successfully secured funding for the Finniss restart through a diversified financing package supported by strategic partners and institutional investors, ensuring a fully funded restart solution. The package comprised US$70 million in convertible notes from entities of Glencore and InfraVia Capital Partners, a US$50 million senior secured debt facility from Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund II and an A$120 million equity raising from institutional investors.  Core successfully secured funding for the Finniss restart through a diversified financing package supported by strategic partners and institutional investors, ensuring a fully funded restart solution. The raising was designed to accelerate the advancement of the FID, fund operational readiness activities at Finniss, and strengthen the balance sheet to support the ongoing strategic funding process. FID approval and funding reflect the improved economic metrics of the restart, as well as the Company’s confidence in delivering sustained production supported by a de-risked execution plan. Restart of Operations Throughout the restart, Core maintained a focus on safe, disciplined execution, with operational readiness, contractor mobilisation and recommissioning activities progressing in line with the staged restart plan at Grants and BP33. Grants Core immediately commenced work on the restart of operations at the Grants deposit following the FID approval. An ~A$50 million surface mining services contract was awarded to NRW in April 2026, and mining operations subsequently commenced in the June quarter, including drilling and blasting activities and excavation work. The incorporation of Grants open-pit mining into the Finniss mine plan provides a near-term production pathway and a rapid feed source for the Finniss processing plant, enabling an accelerated production timeline at a lower initial capital cost. Alongside mining activities, Core progressed targeted brownfields modifications to the Dense Media Separation (DMS) plant to debottleneck the processing circuit and support improved liberation, recoveries and throughput. During the June quarter, the Company continued several key initiatives, including the removal, refurbishment and reinstallation of the secondary fines separation screens, relocation of the ferrosilicon distribution pumping and piping system, and consolidation of the crusher and DMS plant control functions into a single control room. These upgrades form part of a broader plan to increase plant capacity from 1.0 Mtpa to 1.2 Mtpa and support improved operating performance. Following year-end, first spodumene concentrate was produced at the Finniss processing plant in September 2026, marking a key milestone in the staged restart of the operation. Plant commissioning and optimisation activities continue as Finniss progresses towards reliable and sustained production. Ore from Grants is being processed, with the first shipment of newly produced spodumene concentrate targeted for the December quarter. Cash flows from Grants were not contemplated in the sources of funding for the BP33 development; accordingly, these incremental cash flows will further strengthen Core’s liquidity position. Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 12 BP33 Core also commenced construction activities at the BP33 underground mine site following the approval of the FID. In preparation for the underground development, Core advanced civil works and box cut remediation at BP33 during the year. Major earthworks included construction of pads for the power station, ventilation infrastructure and paste plant. The box cut was dewatered, ramps and a sump were constructed and ground support installed. An initial three-year underground mining contract was awarded to Develop Global in May for decline development inclusive of ground support, load and haul, drill and blast and production activities associated with underground mining activities at BP33. Mobilisation commenced in June 2026 with development activities commencing in parallel. The Company completed a number of key construction activities, including the underground miner laydown area, and the portal cut marking the commencement of underground development activities. Underground development will progress in parallel with Grants production, supporting a staged ramp up and early cash generation at Finniss. First development ore from BP33 is expected in mid-CY27, with steady state production targeted for mid-CY28. The BP33 deposit is central to the Finniss Lithium Operation, providing a low-cost underground production base with more than 10 years of mine life, underpinned by a unique high-grade orebody characterised by a large, continuous and uniform sub-vertical pegmatite, consistent grade distribution, minimal internal zoning and favourable geometry for efficient underground mining. In addition to commencing mining and underground development, Core also brought the Finniss logistics chain back to full operation. This was done through the successful export of a shipment of 20kt lithium fines and 5kt of stockpiled spodumene concentrate via Darwin Port in the June quarter. The shipment represented the successful remobilisation of Core’s established mine-to-port logistics network, building on the operational and development progress made at Finniss. Mid-CY27 Development ore expected Mid-CY28 Steady-state production targeted 10+ year Expected mine life High-grade Large, continuous pegmatite orebody Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 13 BURRELL CREEK FORMATION NMRD100 34.08m @ 2.09% Li2 O from 578.70m NMRD085 90.17m @ 1.80% Li2 O from 568.83m FINNISS LITHIUM PROJECT Cross Section Looking Northeast Pegmatite NMRD100 NMRD085 SOUTHEAST 694,250X 694,500X TOFR –250m 0m –500m 700m NORTHWEST Weathered Zone Natural Surface 2: Geological Cross Section NMRD085 and NMRD100 at BP33 1. Refer to ASX announcement “New High-Grade Lithium Drill Results at BP33” on 11 August 2026. 2. RefertoASXannouncement“UpdatedFinnissLithiumProjectReserveandResource”on14May2025. Exploration Core’s exploration program is designed to support the Company’s broader strategy of resource growth and mine life extension at Finniss, as well as advancing the development pipeline. Post year end, Core received high-grade lithium results from the first exploration diamond drill hole at BP33, NMRD100, including 34.08m @ 2.09% Li2 O from 578.70m and 3.43m @ 2.44% Li2 O from 616.54m1 . NMRD100 was designed to test potential extensions to mineralisation outside the existing BP33 Mineral Resource Estimate of 10.5Mt @ 1.53% Li2 O and reinforces Core’s confidence in the quality and continuity of the orebody. Drilling at BP33 is ongoing, with an additional four holes planned targeting extensions to mineralisation down dip and along strike from NMRD085 and NMRD100. Exploration drilling at Blackbeard is underway, with the primary objective of advancing the Blackbeard prospect toward a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate. Core has defined an Exploration Target of 7.0 to 10.0Mt at a grade of 1.5% to 1.7% Li₂O forthe highly prospective Blackbeard prospect2 . The target was defined by ten existing RC holes drilled by Core that have provided encouragement that a large mineralised system may be present. TheBlackbeardexploration programisastagedandgateddiamond-drilling campaign totalling 12,150m and forms part of Core’s strategy to expand and optimise operations at Finniss. Drilling will continue through FY27, with assay results to be released progressively as received and validated. Cautionary Statement: The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. Core Lithium Annual Report 2026 14 Mineral Resource and Reserve Growth During FY26, no additional drilling has been undertaken at Finniss since the Statement of Mineral Resources in September 2025. While mining has recommenced, no resource material has been mined from within the Grants open pit, as at 30 June 2026. No mining has occurred within the other reported resource areas as the BP33 decline development has not impacted mineralisation. Accordingly, there has been no material change to the Mineral Resource Estimate and the in situ Mineral Resources are consistent with those previously reported by Core. An updated Grants Ore Reserve Estimate was announced on 10 November 2025, increasing by 33.0% to 1.53Mt @ 1.42% with a 44% increase in contained metal to 22kt Li2 O.  The total Finniss Ore Reserves increased by 3% to 15.6Mt @ 1.27%, with a 3% increase in contained metal to 198kt Li2 O with the increase of the Grants Ore Reserve1 . Corporate Sale of Lithium Fines and Stockpiles Core monetised its existing stockpiled material generating significant cash flow during the financial year while mining and development activities at Finniss progressed. During the period, the Company completed the sale of its remaining spodumene concentrate stockpile at Finniss to Glencore International AG. This was followed by three sales of stockpiled lithium fines to Glencore. The first sale, comprising 20,000 tonnes, was completed in April 2026 at a base price of US$290/t (~A$405/t) CIF. A second sale of 25,000 tonnes was completed in June 2026 at a base price of US$270/t (~A$375/t) CIF. The final sale, comprising the remaining 25,000 tonnes, was completed in September 2026 at a base price of US$285/t (~A$400/t) CIF, with proceeds expected to be received in the December quarter. Core generated incremental revenue of ~A$38.5 million from total lithium sales in CY26. The strategic sale of the stockpiles provided important additional cash flows to support the operation and also allowed the remobilisation of Core’s logistics chain from the site through to Darwin Port. Consolidation of Tenements to Focus on Lithium During FY26, Core refocused its operations and capital allocation on its primary business operations at Finniss and the exploration and development of its other lithium assets. As a result, the Company consolidated its lithium tenements and commenced a process to dispose of non-core exploratio