VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A.I.S. Resources Limited (TSX-V: AIS • OTC PINK: AISSF • FRA: 5YH) (the “Company” or “A.I.S.”) is pleased to announce the Company has secured its first set of the required drilling permits for its Saint John iron oxide–copper–gold (IOCG) project in southern New Brunswick. This approval from the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development allows A.I.S. to begin its planned Phase 1 drill program targeting high-priority magnetic and structural anomalies identified through recent geophysical interpretation.

The Lepreau district shares several geological characteristics commonly associated with IOCG exploration models, characterized by strong magnetic signatures, widespread alteration zones, and favourable structural corridors. With permits now issued, A.I.S. will mobilize its drilling contractor and commence site preparation with a start date of July 28.

“We’re very pleased to have received the drilling permits for our Lepreau district projects,” said Marc Enright-Morin, CEO of A.I.S. Resources. “This is an important milestone for the company. The Lepreau district projects have displayed encouraging geological characteristics consistent with our IOCG exploration model, and we look forward to testing these targets through drilling.”

Phase 1 drilling is expected to comprise approximately 2,000 metres of diamond drilling, designed to test priority magnetic and structural targets identified through recent airborne geophysical surveys, ground geological mapping and sampling, and data interpretation. Initial drilling will focus on validating the Company's IOCG exploration model and generating geological information to guide future exploration.

Geological Setting and History:
Southern New Brunswick is a prospective mineral exploration jurisdiction with a long history of mineral occurrences and past-producing deposits associated with Appalachian volcanic, sedimentary, intrusive and structurally controlled geological settings. The region hosts geological environments considered favourable for copper, gold, silver, zinc, antimony, cobalt, nickel and other critical minerals. Mineralization in the region may be associated with fault zones, volcanic and sedimentary contacts, intrusive-related systems, skarn-style alteration, and structurally controlled vein and breccia systems.

A.I.S. believes its New Brunswick property portfolio provides an opportunity to evaluate multiple early-stage mineralized trends using modern exploration methods, including geological mapping, geochemistry, airborne and ground geophysics, and targeted drilling.

The Company has increased its land package from 9,555 hectares to 26,952 hectares (269.5 km²) across Southwestern New Brunswick.

The Company’s current work is designed to test exploration concepts and high priority targets. Additional work is required before any conclusions can be made regarding continuity, grade, scale or economic potential.

About the Saint John Project
The Company considers the Saint John Project to be prospective for IOCG-style mineralization based on its regional geological setting and current exploration model. The property remains at an early stage of exploration, and additional work is required to determine whether IOCG-style mineralization is present. The Company’s exploration model is focused on evaluating the potential for copper-gold-silver-antimony mineralization, together with associated critical-mineral pathfinders identified through the compilation of historical and current exploration work.

About the Pocologan Project
The Pocologan Project is an early-stage copper-gold-silver exploration project located in New Brunswick, Canada. The project is interpreted by the Company to have potential for IOCG-style, magmatic copper-gold and structurally controlled copper-silver-gold exploration models. Vendor compilation materials and the Company’s compiled data identify several target areas, including the Pennfield Station-Pocologan River, Grand Bay and Red Head Harbour areas, where surface prospecting reportedly outlined copper, gold and silver mineralization associated with gabbroic, granodioritic, altered and sheared host rocks. The project covers approximately 21.5 square kilometres in southern New Brunswick and benefits from favourable infrastructure, including proximity to highways, rail, power, deep-water port facilities at Saint John and a skilled regional workforce. The Company has not yet completed sufficient work to verify the continuity, scale or economic significance of the historical mineralization reported in vendor compilation materials.

About the Frenchmans Creek Project:
The Frenchmans Creek Project is an early-stage, district-scale copper-gold-silver exploration project focused on evaluating IOCG-style and structurally controlled copper-silver-gold exploration targets. Vendor compilation materials and the Company’s data identify several target areas where surface prospecting outlined copper, gold and silver mineralization associated with gabbroic, granodioritic and altered or sheared host rocks. The project remains at an early exploration stage and requires systematic verification, mapping, sampling, geophysical work and drilling before any conclusions can be made regarding the presence, continuity, grade, scale or economic potential of mineralization.

About the Grand Bay Project 
The Grand Bay area is considered prospective for volcanic-hosted base-metal mineralization, structurally controlled copper-silver-gold veins, and localized intrusion-related copper-molybdenum-gold porphyry systems; however, these exploration concepts require confirmation through systematic mapping, prospecting, geochemical sampling, and geophysical surveys.

Qualified Person
Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Afzaal Pirzada, P.Geo., V.P. of Exploration for A.I.S. Resources Limited, who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About A.I.S. Resources Limited
A.I.S. Resources Limited is a publicly traded company, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, dedicated to acquiring and exploring resource projects with the goal of building shareholder value through disciplined exploration, rigorous technical assessment, and responsible project development. The Company is led by a team with extensive experience in mineral exploration, project generation, finance, and capital markets.

A.I.S. holds a substantial land position across major terrane boundaries and crustal-scale structures in southwestern New Brunswick, where emerging geophysical, geological, and geochemical data indicate the potential for a district-scale IOCG–porphyry mineral system.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
A.I.S. Resources Limited
Marc Enright-Morin, CEO

For further information please contact:

Marc Enright-Morin, CEO
M: +1-778-892-5455
E: marc@aisresources.com

ADVISORY: This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the

Company’s proposed field validation, sampling, permitting, drill-collar planning, proposed initial drill program, expected timing of drilling, contractor availability, access, weather conditions, financing, receipt of required permits and approvals, and the Company’s future exploration plans for its New Brunswick properties.

Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions, and beliefs, including assumptions regarding the availability of contractors, weather and operating conditions, receipt of any required permits or approvals, access to the project area, availability of financing, and the Company’s ability to complete the proposed exploration program as currently contemplated. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks include, but are not limited to, exploration and development risks, permitting and access risks, contractor availability, weather delays, market conditions, commodity price fluctuations, financing risks, regulatory risks, and the risk that exploration results may not support further work. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise such information except as required by applicable securities laws.

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 release