AEX AEX Gold Inc

Appleton Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AEX) has commenced a new drilling program at its Manalo Gold Project in the Republic of Mali, West Africa. This program will focus on the Sirabada and Mansaya gold targets and will be Appleton's first drilling pass on these targets.

The Sirabada target is a 1500 metre long by 200 to 500 metre wide gold-in-soil anomaly. The geochemical anomaly appears to represent multiple northwest trending linears associated with extensive artisanal workings. The strongest set of workings, which is currently 500 metres long and 50 metres wide, is associated with intense white clay-quartz alteration. This large target has received 2,335 metres of reverse circulation drilling in 21 holes by the previous operator, however, Appleton geologists believe that only two of those holes were properly oriented to test mineralization. The best intercepts from previous drilling were from MSB-08-013 with 0.49 gpt Au across 14 metres, 0.50 gpt Au across 8 metres and 0.54 gpt Au across 7 metres.

The Mansaya target consists of two gold-in-soil anomalous areas. The southern anomaly is 1200 metres long by 300 to 450 metres wide and has received eight reverse circulation holes totalling 774 metres by the previous operator. Hole MMS-08-018 returned 10.71 gpt Au over 3 metres. The northern anomaly is 1600 metre long by 200 metre wide. A total of 905 metres of reverse circulation were completed in 9 holes in this area. Holes MMS-08-007 through MMS-08-012 intersected a mineralized trend with the best results from MMS-08-008 with 0.80 gpt Au across 20 metres.

The drilling program will comprise approximately 2000 metres in the Sirabada target and 2700 metres in the Mansaya target. The Sirabada program will consist of 4 drill fences of air core drilling across the full width of the zone. The Mansaya program will consist of 6 drill fences of air core drilling focused on the southern gold anomaly.

About Mali

Mali is the fastest growing gold producing country in Africa. Production in 2007 amounted to 2 million ounces of gold making Mali Africa's third-largest gold producer after South Africa and Ghana. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, one of the largest gold mining companies in the world, has interests in three operating mines in Mali: Sadiola, Yatela and Morila.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

R.Tim Henneberry, P.Geo., President and CEO

Paul Cowley, P.Geo., Director of Appleton Exploration Inc., is the Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and include any information that addresses activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including the Company's planned drilling programs and strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance.

Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company's management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed, implied by or projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: risks related to the exploration and potential development of the Company's projects, risks related to international operations, the actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future prices of gold, as well as those factors discussed in the sections relating to risk factors of the Company set out in the Company's MD&A filed on SEDAR.

There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date of this document or to revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts: Appleton Exploration Inc. Tim Henneberry President and CEO (604) 694-0741 Contact Financial Corp. Investor Relations (604) 689-7422 or Toll Free: 1-877-689-7411