Energy Storage Industry Veteran Joins Applied Minerals to Drive the Commercialization of DRAGONITE(TM) for Use in Lithium-ion Battery Applications

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - February 08, 2018) - Applied Minerals, Inc. (the "Company" or "Applied Minerals") (AMNL), a leading global producer of halloysite clay under the trade name DRAGONITE and advanced natural iron oxides under the trade name AMIRON™, is pleased to announce that Greg Nielson, Ph.D., a leading executive within the field of energy storage and renewable energy, has joined the Company as an advisor to further the commercialization of its emerging business as a supplier of materials for use in lithium-ion battery applications.

Dr. Nielson will utilize his extensive experience within the field of energy storage to drive the commercialization of DRAGONITE halloysite clay for use in a number of battery technologies as detailed in a previous release. Dr. Nielson's focus will include, among other things, the pursuit of commercial partnerships with one or more leading battery technology companies as well as the expansion of the Company's portfolio of battery-related IP.

"I am very excited to be working with Applied Minerals," Dr. Nielson stated. "They are a powerful team with remarkable foresight. Their halloysite clay -- a unique, naturally occurring nanomaterial -- has already demonstrated significant improvements in lithium-ion battery performance in laboratory testing. They are poised to quickly become a strong player in the market for lithium-ion battery materials."

Andre Zeitoun, President and CEO of Applied Minerals, added, "We are very excited to have Greg join us as an advisor. He will provide the Company with invaluable guidance as we commercialize our rapidly emerging business as a supplier of materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. There is no question that Greg's vast expertise and strong relationships within the battery, energy storage and solar industries will provide us a competitive edge in accelerating the commercialization of this exciting opportunity."

Dr. Nielson was most recently the Chief Scientist of the Solar Technology Department of Vivint Solar, Inc. (VSLR) ("Vivint Solar"), the second largest dedicated provider of distributed solar power to residential customers in the United States. While at Vivint Solar, Dr. Nielson took a leading role in the development and implementation of innovations of a number of products and services that accelerated the further adoption of clean, renewable energy technologies among Vivint Solar's customers.

Prior to Vivint Solar, Dr. Nielson was with Sandia National Laboratories ("Sandia") for approximately eleven years. He joined Sandia as a prestigious Harry S. Truman Fellow and was ultimately named Principal Member of its technical staff. During his time at Sandia, Dr. Nielson oversaw a research and development program in solar power that included an annual budget of $5 million, a staff of 25 engineers and scientists, and the management of numerous industry and university partnerships. Dr. Nielson's work produced improvements in the performance of photovoltaic cells, modules and systems and reduced their manufacturing costs by taking advantage of scaling benefits by reducing photovoltaic cells to the micro- and nano-scale

Dr. Nielson holds a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During 2012, he was named one of the "Brilliant Ten" scientists and engineers in North America by Popular Science Magazine for his research into the use of micro- and nano-fabrication techniques to manufacture more efficient solar cells.

About Applied Minerals

Applied Minerals is the leading producer of halloysite clay and advanced natural iron oxide solutions from its wholly owned Dragon Mine property in Utah. Halloysite is aluminosilicate clay that forms naturally occurring nanotubes. In addition to serving the traditional halloysite markets for use in technical ceramics and catalytic applications, the Company has developed niche applications that benefit from the tubular morphology of its halloysite. These applications include carriers of active ingredients in paints, coatings and building materials, environmental remediation, agricultural applications and high-performance additives and fillers for plastic composites. Applied Minerals markets its halloysite products under the DRAGONITE™ trade name.

From its Dragon Mine property, the Company also produces a range of ultra-pure natural iron oxides consisting of hematite and goethite. Combining ultra-high purity and consistent quality, the inherent properties of the iron oxide from the Dragon Mine allow for a wide range of end uses in pigment and technical applications. Applied Minerals markets its comprehensive line of advanced natural iron oxide pigments under the AMIRON™ trade name. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.appliedminerals.com and www.AMIRONoxides.com.

Safe Harbor Statements
The following are safe harbor statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for Applied Minerals, Inc. Some statements contained or implied in this news release may be considered forward-looking statements, which by their nature are uncertain. Consequently, actual results could materially differ. For more detailed information concerning how risks and uncertainties could affect the Company's revenue pipeline, please refer to Applied Minerals' most recent annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information.