Strategic Capital Infusion Fuels A.I.S. Resources' New Brunswick Ambitions

VANCOUVER, BC – June 19, 2026 – In the high-stakes world of junior mining, capital is king, but strategic capital is the kingmaker. A.I.S. Resources Limited announced today it has secured C$644,000 in a private placement, a sum that, on its own, might not turn many heads. However, the source of a portion of that capital—veteran resource investor Phillip Richards of RAB Capital—transforms this from a routine financing into a significant vote of confidence in the company's burgeoning strategy in New Brunswick.

The financing, structured as 4.6 million units at $0.14 each, is earmarked for exploration on the company's early-stage projects in the Atlantic province and for general working capital. In a statement, A.I.S. CEO Marc Enright-Morin explicitly welcomed Richards, noting, “We are pleased to welcome Phillip Richards of RAB Capital as a strategic investor as we prepare to advance our New Brunswick projects.” This move signals that the real story isn't just the cash, but the validation it represents.

The Significance of 'Smart Money'

For a junior explorer like A.I.S. Resources, attracting what the market refers to as 'smart money' is a pivotal step. Phillip Richards and RAB Capital are not generalist investors; their track record is deeply rooted in the natural resources sector. Founded in 1999, RAB Capital built its reputation on fundamental analysis of small-cap companies, particularly within metals and mining. The firm has managed specialized funds, including the RAB Global Mining and Resources fund, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of the geological and market risks inherent in the sector.

An investment from such a specialized entity provides more than just financial runway. It serves as a powerful market signal, suggesting that a seasoned expert has vetted the company's assets and management and deemed them a worthy bet. This endorsement can attract further investment and build confidence among existing shareholders who are navigating the volatile exploration landscape. For A.I.S., this infusion is less about staying afloat and more about adding a seasoned navigator to the ship as it sails into the promising, yet uncertain, waters of its New Brunswick prospects.

Unpacking the New Brunswick Potential

The funds are directed toward a trio of projects—Saint John, Pocologan, and Frenchmans Creek—all targeting what could be a significant prize: Iron Oxide Copper-Gold (IOCG) style mineralization. These types of deposits are highly sought after because they can host a rich mix of metals. In this case, A.I.S. is prospecting for gold and silver, but also copper, antimony, and rhenium—minerals deemed critical for the global energy transition and modern technology.

While all three projects are officially in their infancy, preliminary work has yielded tantalizing, albeit unproven, results. Vendor-supplied data and the company's own early sampling have returned exceptionally high-grade surface samples. For instance, recent rock chip sampling on the Saint John project showed results as high as 17.6% copper, 10.8% antimony, and 70.4 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. More recently, the company announced overlimit assay results with gold grades up to 33.8 g/t and copper up to 3.28% from grab samples. It's crucial to note that grab samples are selective by nature and not representative of a larger, defined resource. Still, such numbers are precisely what explorers look for to justify further investment in expensive geophysical surveys and drilling campaigns.

The capital raised will allow A.I.S. to systematically verify these historical showings and follow up on promising geophysical targets, like those from a recently completed airborne survey over the Pocologan project. The goal is to move from intriguing surface hints to defining a coherent, economically viable mineral resource.

A Crowded and Promising Jurisdiction

A.I.S. Resources is not operating in a vacuum. Its bet on New Brunswick is part of a much larger trend. The province is aggressively positioning itself as a key player in Canada's critical minerals strategy, leveraging its diverse geology which hosts 13 of the country's 34 identified critical minerals. The provincial government is even developing a Comprehensive Minerals Strategy to streamline permitting and attract precisely this kind of investment.

This has created a dynamic and competitive environment. Major players are taking notice, as evidenced by Kinross Gold's recent option agreement on Puma Exploration's Williams Brook Gold Project. Meanwhile, companies like Canadian Copper are advancing significant Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits, and a host of other juniors, including Nine Mile Metals and Antimony Resources Corp., are actively exploring the region. This flurry of activity provides A.I.S. with both challenges and opportunities. While competition for land, labor, and capital is intense, the growing ecosystem validates the region's prospectivity and ensures access to essential infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and a supportive regulatory framework.

The Junior Miner's Gamble

The terms of the financing—units comprising a share at $0.14 and a half-warrant exercisable at $0.20 for three years—are typical for a company at this stage. The C$644,000 is not meant to build a mine but to fund the crucial, high-risk work of discovery. This capital will be deployed to generate data, the true currency of exploration. Each dollar will go towards systematic mapping, sampling, and geophysical work designed to turn geological theories into drill-ready targets.

This investment is a calculated gamble on turning promising surface geology into a tangible asset. For existing shareholders, the placement introduces some dilution, but it's a necessary step to fund the potential for a significant value-creating discovery. With the backing of a strategic investor and a clear focus on a mineral-rich, development-friendly jurisdiction, A.I.S. Resources is now equipped to take the next critical steps in its exploration journey. For the company and its new backers, the real work of proving the potential buried beneath the New Brunswick soil begins now.