AEX AEX Gold Inc

Appleton Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AEX) is pleased to announce the discovery of a new mineralized zone (Hilltop Structure) during recent aircore (AC) drilling at the Sirabada Prospect on the Manalo Gold Project.

Highlights include:

--  0.88 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 10 metres in MSAC-10-009.
--  2.29 g/t gold over the bottom 4 metres in MSAC-10-019.
--  Up-dip extension of mineralization in MSAC-10-020 displays 2 intervals
    (Table 1).
--  Drill holes MSAC-10-009 and 019/020 are 220 metres apart along strike.
--  The new trend lies 200 metres west of and parallel to the main Sirabada
    structure.
--  Sirabada hosts an extensive hard rock artisanal mine site, covering an
    area more than 200 x 400 metres.


Table 1: Highlights from Hilltop Structure

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drill Hole           From (m)          To (m)      Length (m)         Au g/t
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSAC-10-009                0              10              10            0.88
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSAC-10-019               55              59               4            2.29
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSAC-10-020                6              14               8            0.77
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             and          24              33               9            0.79
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
All reported assays are by screen metallics method.

Aircore drilling tested several targets on the Sirabada and Mansaya Prospects. At Sirabada, 34 drill holes totalling 2103 metres cut 3 fences across the western side of the extensive soil geochemical anomaly. Five holes also tested under the main Sirabada structure, returning several low-grade intervals (see Table 2).

Table 2: Highlights from Sirabada Main Structure

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drill Hole           From (m)          To (m)      Length (m)         Au g/t
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSB-10-022                31              33               2            0.96
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             and          57              63               6            0.30
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSB-10-023                39              45               6            0.73
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             and          65              68               3            0.80
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
All reported assays are by screen metallics method.

At Mansaya, 52 aircore drill holes totalling 1784 metres were completed in 3 fences across a broad soil geochemical anomaly. Results are pending.

Dialafara Southern Segment

The 2009/10 drill campaign on the Dialafara Southern Segment returned numerous significant intervals. Recent re-interpretation of those results and the host structures suggests that mineralization is controlled by a series of northeast-trending extension veins intersecting a northwest-trending contact between a coarse sandstone unit and fine mudstone units. These structural intersections host long intervals of gold mineralization perhaps in an en echelon and stacked arrangement. Table 3 highlights the previously released results from the Dialafara Southern Segment.

Table 3: Highlights from Dialafara Southern Segment

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drill Hole           From (m)          To (m)      Length (m)         Au g/t
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-07-001              71.0            80.0             9.0         (i)9.57
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-07-002              87.0            93.0             6.0        (i)29.07
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-07-011              53.0            66.0            13.0         (i)2.43
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-09-053              39.0            51.0            12.0            0.55
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-09-054              37.0            54.0            17.0            0.95
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-09-058              14.0            26.0            12.0            0.89
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-09-068              86.0           112.0            26.0            0.51
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-09-072              60.0            73.0            13.0            0.44
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-09-073              68.0            82.0            14.0            2.06
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             and        93.0           124.0            31.0            3.76
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-10-086              47.0           108.0            61.0            0.95
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-10-088              93.0           119.0            26.0            1.04
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-10-089              64.0            76.0            12.0            1.03
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-10-097              51.0            65.0            14.0            0.68
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-09-099              27.0            80.0            53.0            1.62
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-10-108              70.0            72.0             2.0            4.01
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDL-10-110             108.0           118.0            10.0            3.68
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Assayed by 30g FA/AA finish

All samples were initially analyzed by 50 gram fire assay. Samples identified in potentially mineralized zones or than returned anomalous (greater than 0.10 g/t) gold values were re-assayed by screen metallics analysis. Previous work suggests that Manalo hosts moderate coarse gold.

Quality Control and Assurance

The widths and grades reported are drill intercept widths and may not represent the true width of mineralization. Individual gold assays have not been cut but high grade samples have been separately reported in the table above. Samples are reverse circulation cuttings collected using a cyclone in 1 metre intervals that are riffle split at the drill site. All samples are assayed by fire assay (50 gram charge). Zones of quartz veining and limonite were submitted for check assays by the screen metallic method in order identify the presence and significance of coarse gold in samples. The primary laboratory is ALS Chemex in Bamako, an ISO 17025 certified laboratory. Standard, blank, and duplicate samples were inserted throughout the sample sequence as quality control checks. Both Christopher J. Wild, P.Eng. and Paul Cowley, P.Geo., director of Appleton, are qualified persons for the drilling campaign.

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 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 (604) 694-0741 www.appletonexploration.com Contact Financial Corp. - Investor Relations Information 604.689.7422 or Toll Free: 1.877.689.7411