AEX AEX Gold Inc

Appleton Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AEX) is pleased to announce initial results from its spring 2010 reverse circulation (RC) and aircore (AC) drill campaign on the northern and southern segments of the Dialafara Prospect on the Manalo Gold Project, Mali, West Africa. Highlights include 31 metres of 2.79 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (uncut) in a broader interval of 61 metres of 1.62 grams per tonne gold (uncut). Follow-up analysis by screen metallics methods returned 1.43 g/t Au over the 31 metre interval and 0.95 g/t Au over the 61 metre interval, confirming gold mineralization.

Table 1 - Highlights from MDL-10-086, Dialafara South Segment

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Fire
From     To   Length     Assays   Check Screen Metallic Assays
Drill Hole     (m)    (m)      (m)    Au g/t                         Au g/t
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MDL09-086      47    108       61       1.62                           0.95
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incl     47     65       18       0.65                           0.73
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incl     65     77       12       0.17                           0.11
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incl     77    108       31       2.79                           1.43
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incl    102    108        6      12.93                           4.73
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incl    106    107        1      57.30                           2.29
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The drill results above are part of the 4,300 metre, 37 hole RC drill program and 3,771 metre, 67 hole AC drill program conducted during March and April 2010. Maps showing drill collars locations and tables of metre by metre results for each of the intervals tabled in this news release are available on the Manalo Current Exploration Page on the Company's website: www.appletonexploration.com.

Appleton is earning a 100% interest from Delta Exploration Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rockgate Capital Corp.

Dialafara South Segment

Twenty-nine RC drill holes totalling 3,328 metres tested along approximately 900 metres of the Dialafara South structure. To date, results have been received for 5 holes from this area. MDL-10-086, reported above, was collared under the central artisanal workings where mapping indicates the presence of northeast and northwest trending quartz veins in a stockwork. MDL-10-086 is situated between holes MDL-09-053 and MDL-09-054, which returned 1.58 g/t Au over 10 metres and 3.32 g/t Au over 18 metres, respectively, in a west-northwest-trending quartz-rich structure. Significantly, gold mineralization in MDL-10-086 extends 10 metres into rock without quartz veining.

In addition, four holes, MDL-10-074 to MDL-10-077, located about 150 metres northwest of MDL-10-086 in the northwest artisanal workings on the Dialafara South structure intersected weakly mineralized quartz veining proximal to the main structure. Their highlights are tabled below. These four holes are in the vicinity of previous drilling, which included 27 metres averaging 0.50 g/t Au from MDL-09-068.

Table 2 - Other Highlights from Dialafara South Segment

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Fire
From    To   Length    Assays   Check Screen Metallic Assays
Drill Hole    (m)   (m)      (m)   Au g/t                         Au g/t
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MDL09-074     70    84       14      0.20                           0.33
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and   108   116        8      0.32                           0.47
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MDL09-076     33    39        6      0.28                           0.54
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and    69    70        1      1.81                           5.43
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Dialafara North Segment

MDL-10-079 intersected high-grade gold mineralization associated with quartz veining at the bottom of the hole. MDL-10-079 returned 6.54 g/t Au across 10 metres by fire assay and 2.30 g/t Au by screen metallics methods. MDL-10-079 was collared 50 metres northwest of section MDL-09-046 and MDL-09-062, which intersected 2.80 g/t Au over 11 metres and 1.03 g/t Au over 9 metres, respectively. MDL-10-080 was collared too far to the southwest so failed to reach the mineralized structure. Thus, this mineralized zone remains open to the northwest, heading toward mineralization identified some 750 metres to the northwest.

MDL-10-081 to 085 tested 400 to 700 metres southeast of MDL-10-079, southeast of the Dialafara north artisanal workings. MDL-10-081 was collared approximately 60 metres southeast of MDL-09-065, which intersected 7 metres of 34.97 g/t Au.

Table 3 - Highlights from Dialafara North Segment

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Fire
From    To   Length    Assays   Check Screen Metallic Assays
Drill Hole      (m)   (m)      (m)   Au g/t                         Au g/t
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MDL-10-079     114   124       10      6.54                           2.32
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incl     118   124        6     10.75                           3.82
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incl     119   120        1     50.80                          13.90
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MDL-10-081      62    69        7      0.43                           0.17
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MDL-10-082      50    57        7      0.65                           0.61
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MDL-10-084      97   100        3      0.94                           0.88
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Dialafara North Segment - NW Step-out

One RC hole, MDL-10-078, was drilled to test low-grade mineralization intersected in aircore drilling in 2009. MAC-09-001 intersected 0.17 g/t Au across 30 metres. MDL-10-078 intersected anomalous gold values between 95 and 116 metres downhole, including 1.28 g/t Au over 2 metres. A new fence of aircore drilling comprising 8 holes stepped 100 metres to the south, intersecting an 8 metre interval averaging 0.73 g/t Au in MAC-10-099. This structure is on strike with Dialafara north segment mineralization. MAC-10-096 also intersected 10.65 g/t Au over 1 metre in a 4-metre moderately quartz-rich structure.

All samples were analyzed by 50 gram fire assay. Samples identified in potentially mineralized zones or that returned anomalous (greater than 0.10 g/t) gold values were checked with 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. 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 Chris 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"

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, exploration programs, 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