N@N

Appleton Exploration Inc.: Appleton Summarizes Manalo Drill Program with Metallic Assay Results

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Aug. 11, 2009) - Appleton Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE:AEX) provides a summary of Phase 1 Spring 2009 drilling program on the Manalo Gold Project in the Republic of Mali, West Africa, complete with screen metallic check assays. The Phase 1 program comprising 18 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes totalling 1800 metres, 7 diamond core tails (cored from the bottom of selected RC holes) totalling 385 metres, and 95 aircore drill holes totaling 4615 metres targeted gold-bearing quartz veins within Birimian sediments, which host several deposits including the Sadiola, Yatela and Morila gold mines. Initial evaluation of the northern and southern segments of the 3 kilometre by 0.5 kilometre Dialafara gold soil anomaly was the primary focus of the Phase 1 program. At the Northern segment, 5 of 13 holes returned intersections greater than 1 gpt Au over 5 metres with the best intersection being 192 gpt Au over 10 metres including 640 gpt Au over 3 metres. At the Southern segment, 2 of 5 holes returned intersections greater than 1 gpt Au over 5 metres with the best intersection being 3.32 gpt Au over 18 metres. A total of 455 samples were sent for metallic screen assays: 10.55% of the samples returned the same gold value, 33.63% of the samples returned higher gold values, 52.75% of the samples returned lower gold values and 3.08% of the samples had insufficient material to complete a metallic screen assay. The metallic screen assay results confirm that coarse gold particles (greater than 150 mesh) occur in sufficient quantity to influence sampling repeatability. Based on the success of the 2009 Phase 1 program, planning for Phase 2 is now underway.

Dialafara Northern Segment

Drilling Summary

Thirteen reverse circulation holes, six with core tails, testing the Dialafara Northern Segment over a strike length of 700 metres, were aimed at determining thickness and grade continuity beyond limited reverse circulation drilling in the past, which included 15.64 gpt Au across 16 metres, 2.26 gpt Au across 10 metres from DL-08-036, and 1.61 gpt Au across 16 metres from DL-08-032. Artisanal workings as well as trends of quartz subcrop are evident on surface in this segment.

Drilling at the north end of the Dialafara Northern Segment has confirmed the presence of gold mineralization discovered in 2008. MDL-09-042 intersected 7.5 metres grading 2.55 gpt Au. MDL-09-056 intersected 192 gpt Au over 10.0 metres including 640 gpt Au over 3.0 metres and 1.27 gpt Au over 11.5 metres. Zones may be related to a stratigraphic contact, which will require further drilling to evaluate zone correlation and continuity. Approximately 500 metres further south, MDL-09-049 scissored MDL-08-032 yielding 11.0 metres averaging 1.13 gpt Au. Drilling in this area showed some continuity of grade and width along 100 metres. Between these two clusters, drilling showed some zone continuity. Drill collar locations for the 2009 program can be found on the Company's website ([ www.appletonexploration.com ]) under the "Current Exploration Program" link on the Manalo Project Page.

In addition, a single reconnaissance aircore fence of 11 angled holes totaling 582 metres was completed approximately 800 metres northwest of the main Dialafara Northern Segment area to explore the projection of the trend where soil values reached as high as 2.99 gpt Au. The aircore holes intersected multiple 1 to 3m wide intervals of 20% to 100% quartz. Several individual one metre values returned between 0.25 gpt Au to 1.25 gpt Au within graphitic siltstone. Although gold grades were low, the Company is encouraged by the alteration that aligns with the projection of the Dialafara Northern Segment from this 800 metre step out.

Metallic Comparisons

The highlights of the drilling from the Northern Segment follow. All have been previously announced by the Company, but now are accompanied with screen metallic check assays. The screen metallic checks assays compared reasonably well with most originally fire assayed intervals. Some intervals registered slightly higher gold grades while some registered slightly lower gold grades. The most significant positive variation was an improvement of the initial intersection of 1.34 gpt Au over 5 metres in MDL-09-046 to 2.80 gpt Au over 11 metres. The most significant negative variation in this round of sampling was the difficulty in reproducing the 3.0 metre or the 10.0 metre high-grade interval in MDL-09-056. However, other testwork discussed below, did in fact confirm the presence of nuggety or coarse gold in this interval.

Dialafara Northern Segment Drill Intersection Summary
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 m m m gpt gpt Au
DH Sample from to length Au FA Metallics
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-041 RC 48.0 49.0 1.0 36.40 15.10
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Core 108.5 109.5 1.0 1.21 (i)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Core 118.2 121.3 3.1 0.88 0.52
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-042 Core 125.7 126.7 1.0 5.48 5.14
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Core 132.2 139.7 7.5 2.55 2.50
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-043 RC 33.0 38.0 5.0 1.09 0.37
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 including 35.0 36.0 1.0 4.85 1.55
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-044 RC 43.0 46.0 3.0 0.90 0.74
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-045 RC 27.0 28.0 1.0 0.65 (i)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-046 RC 94.0 95.0 1.0 1.18 (i)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 RC 139.0 144.0 5.0 1.34 5.13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 RC 139.0 150.0 11.0 0.69 2.80
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-047 RC 50.0 56.0 6.0 0.17 0.71
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-048 RC 5.0 14.0 9.0 0.45 1.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 RC 43.0 49.0 6.0 0.67 1.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 RC 70.0 71.0 1.0 1.12 (i)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 RC 95.0 96.0 1.0 1.30 (i)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-049 RC 66.0 77.0 11.0 1.14 0.46
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-050 RC 58.0 62.0 4.0 0.61 0.24
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-051 RC 25.0 26.0 1.0 0.32 0.35
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-052 RC 21.0 24.0 3.0 1.89 1.84
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-056 RC 53.0 63.0 10.0 192.17 (ii)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 including 60.0 63.0 3.0 640.19 0.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Core 138.2 149.7 11.5 1.27 0.53
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) - Not re-assayed
(ii) - Insufficient material to complete a metallic analysis on one of the
 10 samples making up the interval
FA - Fire Assay
Metallics - Screen metallic assays are an industry accepted assay procedure
that identifies the presence and significance of coarse gold in a sample.
The assay procedure separates a fine and coarse pulverized sample fraction
which are weighed and assayed and subsequently recombined proportionally.

Discussion on High Grade Intersection in MDL-09-056

Extensive test work has been focused on the highest grade portion of the reported interval. The original three 1.0 metre samples from 60-63 metres in MDL-09-056 were first fire assayed, as shown in the first 3 columns in the following table. These numbers were used in the compositing of the reported intercept in NR-09-07. The highest grade sample was assayed three times with consistent very high grade gold assays. The Company requested and subsequently received re-assays of the original pulps from the same 3.0 metre interval which produced mixed results as shown in the next three columns of the table. The Company also requested ALS Bamako to prepare and assay a second pulp from the coarse lab rejects which produced low gold values as shown in the last 2 columns.

 MDL-09-056 Fire Assay Results
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 Original Pulp Original Pulp Second Pulp
 (gpt Au) Re-assay (gpt Au) (gpt Au)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample ID Orig- Re- lab Orig- Re- Orig-
 (depth) inal assay QA/QC inal Check assay inal Check
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 greater greater
720436 than than
 (60-61m) 100 1895 1455 1.56 100 0.69 0.63 0.49
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
720437
 (61-62m) 0.47 0.46 0.67 0.50 0.30 0.32
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
720438
 (62-63m) 25.1 21.9 39.4 1.24 0.57
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: greater than 100 indicates a fire assay with an Atomic Absorption
 finish which has an upper detection limit of 100 gpt Au

Since the variability of the check assays indicated coarse nuggety gold in the interval, the Company requested screen metallic assay checks on all significant drill intervals. These results were discussed in the preceding section.

In addition, the Company had the remainder of the original field material for the same three 1.0 metre samples air freighted to ALS North Vancouver. The samples were split into 5 sub samples. Four of the 5 sub samples were analyzed by screen metallics assays with the results shown in the following table. The fine (-) fraction from the four sub samples of 720436 returned gold assays that ranged from 0.51 gpt Au to 1.05 gpt Au. When the lab calculated in the coarse gold fraction assays, all samples returned higher total gold values indicating the presence and significance of coarse nuggety gold in the samples. For example, the fine fraction assay in the first sub sample of 720436 was 1.05 gpt Au and its total gold assay was 7.38 gpt Au when the coarse gold fraction was calculated in.

 MDL-09-056 ALS North Vancouver Screen Metallic Results
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 Sub sample 1 Sub sample 2 Sub sample 3 Sub sample 4
 (in gpt) (in gpt) (in gpt) (in gpt)
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 - frac- - frac- - frac- - frac-
 total tion total tion total tion total tion
 Au Au Au Au Au Au Au Au
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
720436 7.38 1.05 0.71 0.51 2.58 0.97 0.90 0.52
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
720437 0.71 0.29 0.92 0.39
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
720438 0.35 0.20 0.50 0.23 0.26 0.20 0.34 0.27
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fifth sub sample was sent to G&T Metallurgical Services Ltd. of Kamloops for scanning electron microscope analysis. G&T separated the gold by gravity and mounted the gold particles on slides for examination and photographing. The scanning electron microscope photographs clearly show the only gold particles from sample 720436 in MDL-09-056 are crystalline in nature.

In conclusion, the test work confirms the coarse nature of the gold can create spectacular bonanza grade intercepts, but also great variability of results.

Dialafara Southern Segment

Drilling Summary

Previous drilling in the 1.8km long northwest trending Southern Segment of the Dialafara gold soil anomaly had been confined to limited cluster drilling under artisanal workings and under higher gold values in soils. Highlights from past drilling included 9.57 gpt Au across 9 metres from DL-07-01 and 29.07 gpt Au across 6 metres from DL-07-02 from northeast trending zones (perpendicular to main trend).

The 2009 drill program was aimed at improving the geological context, assessing the broad potential of this large (300 to 500m wide) gold anomaly and determining grade and thickness continuity, at least locally within the trend.

The Company conducted 5 reconnaissance level fences of angled aircore drill holes to broadly, but systematically test the Dialafara South Segment over a strike length of 1.5km. Fifty four angled holes totaling 3227 metres were completed, each with an average depth of 60 metres. The 5 reconnaissance lines intersected multiple northwest trending corridors of quartz veining. New mineralizing controls have been identified. Most quartz veining is focused within 50 metres either side of the key geological contact between a sandstone/conglomerate and siltstone unit. The program provides important data to aid correlations between intercepts from previous drilling and artisanal workings and will significantly focus future drilling. Much of the contact area is untested by drilling. Highlights include: AC-09-93 on Transect 5 with 1.50 gpt Au across 8.0 metres, AC-09-61 on Transect 2 intersecting 7.53 gpt Au over 1 metre and AC-09-75 on Transect 4 intersecting 0.72 gpt Au over 3 metres.

Also within the Southern Segment five reverse circulation holes, one with a core tail, tested a 250 metre long strikelength of a northwest-trending structure identified in recently excavated 450 metre long artisanal workings at the Dialafara Southern Segment, adjacent to the areas tested by drilling in 2007 and 2008. All 5 holes were successful in delineating a gold mineralized quartz-bearing structure in coarse-grained sandstone and micro-conglomerate immediately west of the contact with the variably graphitic siltstone. Highlights include 3.32 gpt Au over 18 metres in MDL-09-54 and 1.58 gpt Au over 10.0 metres in MDL-09-053.

Metallic Comparisons

Below are the previously reported highlights from the Southern Segment of the Dialafara trend which have also been checked by screen metallic assays. In these cases the screen metallic assays generally showed lower values to previous assays.

Dialafara Southern Segment Reverse Circulation Drill Intersection Summary
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DH Sample m from m to m length gpt Au FA gpt Au Metallics
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-053 RC 43.0 53.0 10.0 1.58 0.73
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-054 RC 36.0 54.0 18.0 3.32 0.91
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-055 RC 13.0 14.0 1.0 1.18 less than 0.05
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-055 RC 18.0 19.0 1.0 1.40 0.17
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-057 RC 10.0 13.0 3.0 0.81 0.68
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL-09-058 RC 14.0 26.0 12.0 0.57 0.89
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dialafara Northeast

Two east-west reconnaissance aircore lines spaced 400 metres apart were completed in the Dialafara NE gold soil anomaly, approximately 2 kilometres northeast of the Dialafara Northern Segment. Thirty holes totaling 806 metres were drilled. The western portion of both lines intersected sandstones and granule-size conglomerate and individual holes were unable to reach planned depths of 60 metres. The southern fence intersected quartz veining in the easternmost holes and returned 3.04 gpt Au over 2 metres from hole AC-09-040.

QA/QC protocols of standards, duplicates and blanks were incorporated in the sampling program. Assaying was completed by ALS Chemex in Bamako, Mali. All samples were assayed for gold using a 30 gram fire assay (FA) technique with an atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) finish or gravimetric finish. A suite of "mineralized" samples were re-analyzed using a screen metallics gold, double minus technique. The screen size used in the metallic procedure is 150 mesh (100 microns). The 3 samples that were shipped to ALS North Vancouver and G&T Metallurgical Services followed proper chains of custody. The check assays by ALS North Vancouver facility followed the same screen metallic technique.

The Company is encouraged by the presence of gold, the widths and the degree of continuity in the northern and southern segments and will follow up with Phase 2 drilling in fall 2009. The Company will also focus on the other large soil anomalies on the permit, in particularly, the Sirabada target, which demonstrates extreme hydrothermal alteration and the most extensive artisanal workings on the permit.

Appleton President, Tim Henneberry, states, "We have made great progress on Manalo's evaluation in terms of new significant gold intercepts and geological understanding from our spring 2009 drill program. We plan to immediately mobilize at the conclusion of the rainy season to follow up on the exciting results from the Dialafara anomalies. Drilling is expected to commence in late September to early October once it is feasible to move the drill rig over the permit."

Appleton is earning a 100% interest in the Manalo Gold Project, subject to a 2% Net Smelter Return (NSR) Royalty, from Delta Exploration Inc. ("Delta") a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rockgate Capital Corp. (RGT - TSX.V).

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

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