Aben Gold Targets Yukon's Dual Treasure: Gold and Critical Tungsten

VANCOUVER, BC – May 08, 2026 – Aben Gold Corp. (TSX-V: ABM) is launching an ambitious 2026 exploration program at its Justin Gold Tungsten Project in the Yukon, aiming to unlock the potential of both precious and critical metals. The company has finalized plans for 1,500 metres of diamond drilling in the highly prospective Tombstone Gold Belt, a region renowned for its significant mineral deposits. The program, set to run from mid-July to mid-September, will target two distinct zones with a dual focus: high-grade gold and strategically important tungsten.

This initiative represents a pivotal moment for the junior exploration company as it seeks to build on historical findings and leverage modern geophysics. The results could not only advance the Justin Project significantly but also position Aben Gold as a contributor to North America’s burgeoning critical minerals supply chain.

The Strategic Hunt for Critical Minerals

At the heart of Aben's 2026 strategy is the POW Zone, an intrusion-related gold system (IRGS) that also hosts significant tungsten mineralization. Approximately 1,000 metres of the planned drilling will be dedicated to this zone, reflecting a calculated move to capitalize on the growing geopolitical importance of tungsten.

Tungsten is designated a critical mineral by both Canada and the United States due to its irreplaceable role in defense, aerospace, and high-tech manufacturing, combined with a supply chain heavily dominated by a few foreign sources. As Western nations move to secure domestic supplies of these essential materials, projects like Justin that host tungsten alongside gold are gaining significant strategic value.

The POW Zone has already demonstrated its dual-metal potential. Historical drilling from 2011 and 2012 returned promising gold intercepts, including 60.00 metres grading 1.25 g/t gold and 46.4 metres grading 1.49 g/t gold. More compellingly, a 2014 re-assay of historical core confirmed the presence of scheelite, the primary ore of tungsten. This analysis revealed an interval of 8.50 metres grading 0.39% tungsten trioxide (WO₃), which was coincident with a gold-rich section of 5.60 metres grading 4.12 g/t gold. The project's location, just 35 kilometers from the past-producing Cantung Tungsten Mine, further strengthens its regional prospectivity.

“We are excited to announce our fully contracted 2026 program at Justin,” stated Riley Trimble, President and CEO of Aben Gold Corp. “This campaign is a major step in unlocking the gold and tungsten potential of the project, and we look forward to delivering results to shareholders this fall.”

High-Stakes Drilling in a Proven Gold Belt

While the tungsten potential adds a strategic dimension, the project's high-grade gold prospects remain a primary driver. The remaining 500 metres of the drilling program will target the Lost Ace Zone, an orogenic-style gold system located about two kilometers west of POW. This type of mineralization is characteristic of the region and shares geological similarities with the adjacent, high-profile 3 Aces Project owned by Seabridge Gold.

The Lost Ace Zone has produced spectacular surface results, including channel samples that returned 20.8 g/t gold over 4.4 metres, with one metre of that interval grading an exceptional 88.2 g/t gold. The discovery of pristine, visible gold grains in soil samples suggests that the bedrock source is nearby and has not been transported far, enhancing the potential for a significant near-surface discovery.

A previous Rotary Air Blast (RAB) drilling program in 2019 was hampered by wet conditions, making diamond drilling the more appropriate and effective method to test this compelling target. The 2026 program is designed to overcome those earlier challenges and properly evaluate the zone's depth potential.

The entire drilling campaign is guided by data from a 2024 QMAGT airborne geophysical survey. This modern exploration technique has helped refine targets at both the POW and Lost Ace zones, increasing the probability of success by allowing geologists to “see” through the surface cover and identify promising geological structures.

Milo Mielniczuk, Vice President of Exploration, commented on the technical approach: “The 2026 program is strategically designed to test the highest-priority targets generated from the 2024 QMAGT survey and our historical datasets. With 1,500 metres testing two unique zones, we will systematically evaluate the coincident gold-tungsten system at POW while advancing the high-grade Lost Ace Zone.”

The Investor Perspective: Risk and Reward

For a junior explorer like Aben Gold, a program of this scale is a high-stakes endeavor. With a market capitalization of approximately C$5 million and 28.2 million shares outstanding, the company operates in a space where exploration success can lead to substantial shareholder returns, but financing is a constant necessity. Financial filings show the company is operating at a loss with no revenue, a standard situation for an exploration-stage entity. An auditor’s “going concern” note in its financial statements—a common disclosure for junior miners—highlights its reliance on raising capital to fund its operations and exploration plans.

The company has been actively managing its finances, completing an oversubscribed private placement for $316,000 in early 2025 and strategically selling non-core assets. The 2026 program represents a focused deployment of this capital on its flagship project, where a significant discovery could be transformative.

Operational Edge in the Remote North

Executing an exploration program in the remote Yukon requires meticulous planning and logistical expertise. Aben Gold is mitigating these challenges by staging its operations from Seabridge Gold’s established 3 Aces Camp, located immediately adjacent to the Justin property. This provides access to existing infrastructure and logistical support, a significant advantage that reduces costs and improves efficiency.

Furthermore, the company has contracted seasoned local operators. Empire Drilling & Consulting Ltd. will manage the drilling, while Axiom Exploration will provide core logging and other technical support. The use of experienced, Yukon-focused contractors is critical for navigating the region’s unique operational and environmental conditions safely and effectively.

“Staging out of the 3 Aces Camp and working with proven contractors that have Yukon experience will allow us to execute efficiently,” Trimble noted in the company's press release.

With permits advancing through the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) and a Class 1 Quartz approval already secured, Aben Gold is poised to begin its critical field season. The drilling campaign represents the culmination of years of data collection and interpretation, and the results expected this fall will be closely watched by investors and the wider mining community. The program will test not only the geological merit of the Justin Project but also the strategic vision of a company betting on the future of both gold and critical minerals.