Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 16, 2026) - Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQX: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G0) ("Maple Gold" or the "Company") today announced assay results from 14 drill holes completed during its ongoing, fully-funded 30,000-metre ("m") winter drill campaign (the "Program") at its 100%-owned Douay Gold Project ("Douay") and Joutel Gold Project ("Joutel") (together, "Douay/Joutel" or the "Property") located along the Casa Beradi-Douay Gold Trend in Québec, Canada. Results include 12 drill holes from the Nika Zone and two (2) drill holes from the Porphyry West Zone, targeting higher-grade southeast-plunging shoots to confirm continuity and extend mineralization at depth following encouraging results from the 2025 winter program.

Highlights

• In the Nika Zone, drill hole DO-25-57X returned 2.8 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 13.5 m within a broader interval of 1.1 g/t Au over 74.0 m, located approximately 100 m down-plunge from previous drill hole DO-21-282X which returned 5.5 g/t Au over 9.6 m within a broader interval of 1.6 g/t Au over 132.5 m (see news release dated May 26, 2021).

• Also in the Nika Zone, drill hole DO-25-353 returned 1.4 g/t Au over 21.6 m within a broader interval of 0.4 g/t Au over 358.5 m, located approximately 150 m below previous drill hole DO-25-338 which returned 4.9 g/t Au over 17.0 m within a broader zone of 2.1 g/t Au over 108.6 m (see news release dated April 3, 2025).

• In the Porphyry West Zone, drill hole DO-26-369 returned 1.9 g/t Au over 30.0 m, including 3.1 g/t Au over 9.0 m, within a broader interval of 1.0 g/t Au over 138.0 m located along a similar moderate southeast plunging shoot as is demonstrated in the Nika Zone.

• The 'Nika Plunge' model is now confirmed at both Nika and Porphyry West, supporting the broader geological interpretation at Douay and resource expansion potential to depth.

• Ongoing exploration drilling continues to demonstrate that gold mineralization at Douay extends well beyond the 2022 Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") and remains open in multiple directions.

• The Company has completed 51 holes (~24,000 m) to date, with 28 reported and 23 pending assay results; additional drilling is planned in 2026, including 2,000 m to follow up on recent high-grade intercepts at Joutel.

• Updated Douay and maiden Joutel MRE, excluding current drilling, are expected in H1 2026.

"These results validate the continuity and similarity of higher-grade plunging shoots within the Nika and Porphyry West zones, while successfully extending bulk tonnage gold mineralization to depth," stated Ian Cunningham-Dunlop, P.Eng., Executive Vice President of Maple Gold. "With the largest drill program in the Company's history nearing completion, our team is now in the planning phase for even more aggressive fully funded drill programs in H2 2026 and 2027 that will target near-term resource expansion opportunities at Douay/Joutel and the significant district-scale growth potential we see across the broader Property."

Discussion of Douay Drilling Results

Nika Zone

The Nika Zone lies in the northwestern portion of the Douay MRE (see Figure 1) and is hosted within a mixed basalt-syenite intrusive sequence, including thick syenitic dykes that are well mineralized.

In May 2021, drill hole DO-21-282X returned 1.6 g/t Au over 132 m, including 1.8 g/t Au over 100.3 m, including 5.5 g/t Au over 9.6 m, which was the best intersection reported in the Nika Zone at the time (see news release dated May 26, 2021). In April 2025, the Company reported step-out drill hole DO-25-338, located 300-m down-plunge from drill hole DO-21-282X (see Figures 1, 2 and 3), which returned 2.10 g/t Au over 108.6 m, including 3.2 g/t Au over 55.8 m, including 6.2 g/t over 7.8 m, and including 5.2 g/t Au over 17.0 m, representing the best hole drilled to date in the Nika Zone based on gold accumulation (grade x thickness) (see news release dated April 3, 2025). Step-out drill hole DO-25-54EXT, located 30 m north of drill hole DO-25-338, returned 1.3 g/t Au over 60 m, including 2.9 g/t Au over 20 m, and including 5.5 g/t Au over 7 m (see news release dated July 15, 2025).

Gold mineralization at the Nika Zone is hosted within strongly fenite-altered (biotite, K-feldspar, amphibole, magnetite), hematized and albitized syenite, with hydrothermal breccias creating a fracture network filled by fine quartz, carbonate, 5-10% disseminated pyrite (locally 15%), and chlorite. 3D modeling of the fenite alteration corridor shows a steep southeasterly plunge open at depth. This plunge corresponds to the intersection lineation between the early east-southeast trending regional fabric as shears, breccias and sericitic shears, and later northeast trending quartz-carbonate-pyrite-fracture network.

Drilling reported today includes 12 drill holes which tested the breadth of the higher-grade core of the Nika Zone from shallow drill holes within poorly drilled portions of the Nika modeled open pit, infill drill holes between drill holes DO-21-282X and DO-25-345 (approximately 100 m down plunge from DO-21-282X), and step-out drill holes located 50 m down-plunge from drill hole DO-25-338. Drilling has confirmed the continuity of the Nika plunging shoot with wide intervals intersected in new drill holes DO-25-57X and DO-25-353 (Figures 2 and 3) including:

• 0.6 g/t Au over 185.5 m, in diamond drill hole ("DDH") DO-25-57X, including

  • 1.1 g/t Au over 74.0 m, including

    • 1.7 g/t Au over 26.5 m, including

      • 2.8 g/t Au over 13.5 m, including

        • 5.6 g/t Au over 5.5 m

• 0.42 g/t Au over 358.5 m, in DDH DO-25-353, including
  • 1.4 g/t Au over 21.6 m, including
    • 2.3 g/t Au over 9.0 m, including
      • 3.2 g/t Au over 5.0 m

• 2.2 g/t Au over 11.8 m, in DDH DO-25-367, including
  • 2.7 g/t Au over 9.0 m, including
    • 13.5 g/t Au over 1.5 m

The Nika Zone now extends to 900 m vertical depth and remains open in multiple directions. The zone is also located 1,200 m east of the existing Douay headframe and mining infrastructure. The Company recently completed the construction of an all-season drill access trail at Nika to allow year-round drilling of the middle and upper portions of the Nika Zone on closer-spaced drill centres.

Porphyry West

The Porphyry Zone hosts high tonnage, lower-grade, structurally controlled gold mineralization within the Porphyry West, Porphyry Central and Porphyry East Zones with >55% of the contained Indicated and Inferred gold ounces within the current Douay MRE. The Porphyry West Zone sits within albite- or K-feldspar altered syenites which are part of the Douay Intrusive Complex ("DIC"), with most mineralization occurring near the DIC's hanging wall margin.

The Company completed three (3) drill holes, DO-25-341, DO-25-342 and DO-25-343, during the 2025 Winter Drill Program which all intersected the modeled Porphyry West Zone with promising gold mineralization hosted within the DIC, a mixed zone with basalt intruded by syenite dikes, and a new lower intermediate tuff horizon in the footwall to the DIC which may be part of the northern Taibi volcaniclastic units. Highlights included 0.9 g/t Au over 31.0 m including 1.2 g/t Au over 16.0 m and 1.1 g/t Au over 10.5 m including 3.1 g/t Au over 2.8 m in drill hole DO-25-341, 0.6 g/t Au over 49.0 m including 1.8 g/t Au over 3.0 m AND 0.6 g/t Au over 16.0 m in drill hole DO-25-342, and 0.6 g/t Au over 30.0 m including 1.4 g/t Au over 4.5 m in drill hole DO-25-343 (see news release dated July 15, 2025).

Program drilling in the Porphyry West Zone has applied the 'Nika Plunge' model to target a moderate south-southeast plunging shoot. Drilling has focused on the areas between drill holes DO-25-341 and DO-25-343, and up-plunge from drill hole DO-25-342 (see Figure 2).

The Company completed two (2) holes, DO-26-368 and DO-26-369 along the projected 'Nika Plunge'(see Figures 1, 2 and 4), both of which intersected wide intervals with promising grades including:

• 0.5 g/t Au over 87.0 m, in DO-26-368, including

  • 1.0 g/t Au over 20.0 m, including

    • 1.7 g/t Au over 9.0 m

  • 1.1 g/t Au over 16.0 m, including

    • 1.4 g/t Au over 6.0 m

• 0.9 g/t Au over 158.0 m, in DO-26-369, including

  • 1.0 g/t Au over 138.0 m, including

    • 1.9 g/t Au over 30.0 m, including

      • 3.1 g/t Au over 9.0 m, and including

      • 2.4 g/t Au over 8.0 m, including

        • 15.2 g/t Au over 1.0 m

The higher-grade core of the Porphyry West Zone is located ~900 m southeast of the Nika Zone and now demonstrates a similar southeasterly plunge geometry. The zone remains open on all directions and additional follow-up drilling is planned.

DDH locations can be found in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 with significant assay highlights in Table 1.

Figure 1: Douay DDH plan map of highlighting MRE modeled resource blocks and pits and 2025-2026 Completed Drill Holes

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Figure 2: Douay DDH longitudinal section with Nika Zone and Porphyry West Zone, Higher-Grade Shoots and 2025-2026 Completed Drill Holes with Significant Assay Results. Looking Northeast (045 Deg Az)

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Figure 3: Douay DDH cross-section - Nika Zone - 2025-2026 Completed Drill Holes with Significant Assay Results. Looking West (towards 290 Deg Az)

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Figure 4: Douay DDH cross-section - Porphyry West Zone - 2025-2026 Completed Drill Holes with Significant Assay Results. Looking West (towards 270 Deg Az)

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Table 1: Douay Winter Drill Program - Significant Assay Results

Table 1: Douay Winter Drill Program - Significant Assay Results (Continued)

Table 1: Douay Winter Drill Program - Significant Assay Results (Continued)

Table 1: Douay Winter Drill Program - Significant Assay Results (Continued)

2026 Winter Program Update

The Company has completed 51 drill holes totaling ~24,000 m as part of its ongoing 32,000 m Douay/Joutel Program, with approximately 75% of the Program now complete. At Douay, drilling has focused on testing of the down-plunge extensions of the higher-grade Nika, 531, Douay West, and Porphyry West Zones. At Joutel, drilling is following-up on encouraging results from drill holes JO-25-01/05/06/07 with 50-m-spaced step-out drill holes.

Assays have been reported for 28 drill holes to date, with additional results expected as they are received and validated in accordance with QA/QC protocols.

Concurrent development initiatives are planned throughout 2026 to advance and de-risk Douay/Joutel, including an updated Douay and a maiden Joutel MRE, both targeted for H1 2026, along with an internal scoping/engineering study.

A total exploration budget of $13.9 million has been approved for 2026, covering permitting, approximately 32,000 m of diamond drilling, regional sonic drilling, assaying, personnel, and site support costs. The Program is fully funded from the Company's existing treasury, with planning for H2 2026 and 2027 drilling currently underway.

Additional Notes

Starting azimuth, dip and final length (Azimuth/Dip/Length (m)) for the 14 drill holes reported in this news release are noted as follows: DO-25-353 (004/70/981), DO-25-355 (345/64/834), DO-25-57X (358/43/Extended from 348 to 711m), DO-26-152X (012/47/Extended from 699m to 930m), DO-26-358 (350/54/444), DO-26-360 (000/60/252), DO-26-362 (360/60/120), DO-26-363 (360/60/162), DO-26-364 (012/52/414), DO-26-365 (340/50/52), DO-26-366 (340/50/531), DO-26-367 (006/57/867), DO-26-368 (010/55/639), and DO-26-369 (007/45/438).

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

The Company implements strict Quality Assurance ("QA") and Quality Control ("QC") protocols at Douay covering the planning and placing of drill holes in the field, drilling and retrieving the NQ-sized drill core, drill hole surveying, core transport, core logging by qualified personnel, sampling and bagging of ½ cut drill core for analysis, and the transport of samples from site to commercial laboratories for analysis.

All core drilling conducted by the Company is oriented. Samples of drill core were cut by a diamond blade rock saw, with half of the cut core placed in individual sealed polyurethane bags and half placed back in the original core box for permanent storage at the Douay site. Sample lengths typically vary from a minimum 0.3-m interval to a maximum 1.5-m interval, with an average 0.5 to 1.0-m sample length. Drill core samples were delivered by truck in sealed woven plastic bags to AGAT laboratory facility in Val d'Or, Quebec for sample preparation with final analysis at AGAT Geochemistry Analytical Lab facility in Thunder Bay, ON and Calgary, AB. AGAT Geochemistry operate meeting all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015.

For sample preparation, ½ cut drill core is dried and crushed to 90% passing 2 mm, split to 500g, pulverizing to 95% passing 105 microns. Gold is determined by fire-assay fusion of a 50-gram sub-sample with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Samples that return values >10 ppm gold from fire assay and ICP-OES are determined by using 50-gram sample fire assay and a gravimetric finish. Selected samples with visible gold or high-grade mineralization are assayed by Metallic Screen Fire Assay on a 1.00 kg sample. A sub-sample from the homogenized pulps after sample prep is sent to Calgary, AB for the multi-acid digestion (4 Acid Digest) analysis. 0.2 g is weighed out for each sample for 4 Acid Digest and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma emissions spectrometry or mass spectrometry (ICP-OES/MS). ICP-OES/MS analyzes various metals including silver, gold, copper, lead and zinc. All AGAT Geochemistry sites comply with ISO/IEC 17025:2017. AGAT Geochemistry follows the quality management and operational guidelines set out in the international standards ISO/IEC 17025 - "General Requirement for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories" and ISO 9001 - "Quality Management Systems". The Company maintains a robust QA/QC program that includes the collection and analysis of duplicate samples and the insertion of blanks and standards (certified reference material).

Qualified Person

Pascal Lessard, Geo. (OGQ #00434), Vice President, Exploration of Maple Gold, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information related to exploration and Mineral Resource matters contained in this news release. Mr. Lessard is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About the Douay/Joutel Gold Project

The Douay/Joutel Gold Project is located adjacent to Highway 109 in the heart of Québec's Abitibi greenstone belt, Canada's premier gold mining jurisdiction. This large, 100%-owned land package includes the Company's flagship Douay Gold Project, which hosts an established mineral resource¹ containing 511,000 ounces of gold (Indicated) and 2.53 million ounces of gold (Inferred), as well as the past-producing, high-grade Joutel Mine Complex². The Property contains ~481 square kilometers of highly prospective geology within the influence of the major gold-bearing Casa Berardi Deformation Zone. Gold mines in the immediate region include the Casa Berardi Gold Mine, recently acquired by Orezone Gold Corporation from Hecla Mining Company, and the Detour Lake Gold Mine operated by Agnico Eagle Mines Limited.

About Maple Gold

Maple Gold Mines Ltd. is a well-funded Canadian gold exploration company focused on advancing its 100%-owned, district-scale Douay/Joutel Gold Project located in Québec's prolific Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt. Douay/Joutel benefits from exceptional infrastructure access and boasts ~481 square kilometers of highly prospective ground including an established gold mineral resource at Douay with significant expansion potential as well as the past-producing Telbel and Eagle West mines at Joutel. In addition, the Company holds an exclusive option to acquire 100% of the Eagle Mine Property, a key part of the historical Joutel Mining Complex.

Maple Gold's property package also hosts a significant number of regional exploration targets along a 55-kilometer strike length of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone that have yet to be tested through drilling, making the property ripe for new gold and VMS discoveries. The Company is currently focused on carrying out exploration and drill programs to grow mineral resources and make new discoveries to establish an exciting new gold district in the heart of the Abitibi. For more information, please visit www.maplegoldmines.com.

ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD.

"Kiran Patankar"

Kiran Patankar, President & CEO

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Statements and Cautionary Notes:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective,", "strategy", "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, resource expansion and discovery potential across the Company's gold projects, and its intention to pursue such potential, and the Company's exploration work and results from current and future work programs. Although the Company believes that forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct, as forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events on the date the statements are made and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of additional risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this news release, please refer to the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval Plus (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca or the Company's website at www.maplegoldmines.com. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and/or the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any intention to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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¹ The Douay Project contains Indicated Mineral Resources estimated at 10 million tonnes at a grade of 1.59 g/t Au (containing 511,000 ounces of gold), and Inferred Mineral Resources estimated at 76.7 million tonnes at a grade of 1.02 g/t Au (containing 2,527,000 ounces of gold). See the technical report for the Douay Gold Project entitled "Technical Report on the Douay and Joutel Projects Northwestern Québec, Canada Report for NI 43-101" prepared by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. with an effective date of March 17, 2022, and dated April 29, 2022.
² The Eagle, Eagle West and Telbel Gold Mines at Joutel were in production from 1974 to 1993 and produced 1.1 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 6.5 g/t Au (Agnico Eagle Mines Limited's corporate website).

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Source: Maple Gold Mines Ltd.