First Mining Gold Corp. announce the expansion of multiple gold zones from the drilling of key targets at the Duparquet Gold Project ("Duparquet Project" or the "Project") located in Quebec, Canada. First Mining has completed 17 exploration drill holes totalling 6,966 m in its 2023 exploration drilling campaign which focused on initial drill testing of key targets across the project.

A new area of mineralization continuity was identified at Central Duparquet ("Valentre Target") which returned 1.71 g/t Au over 8.9 m, including 5.11 g/t Au over 1 m, and 1.29 g/t Au over 7.6 m, including 3.3 g/t Au over 1.8 m in drill hole DUP23-006. This is an exciting target for First Mining as it demonstrates the potential continuity of mineralization between the Central Duparquet and the Dumico deposits that had never been drill tested prior to First Mining's 2023 drilling campaign. In addition, drilling at the CDHG Zone in the area of the historical Central Duparquet development returned 1.78 g/t Au over 4 m, 2.73 g/t Au over 6.15 m, including 6.98 g/t Au over 0.7 m, and including 10.6 g/t Au over 0.65 m, in drill hole DUP23-005.

These results validate the resource wireframe and support the extension of a higher-grade zone with mineralization continuity at depth. First Mining commenced a foundational drilling program in May 2023 with a campaign that is focusing on the advancement of newly defined targets, as well as validating and expanding on resource growth and optimization opportunities. Results returned from the exploration drill holes are continuing to demonstrate that this project has significant potential across the wholly-owned land tenure, through the confirmation of the new zones and targets at Central Duparquet, as well as the previously announced Buzz Zone.

The CDHG Zone includes drill holes DUP23-005, DUP23-007 and DUP23-008 which were drilled to test the steep easterly plunge of the Central Duparquet mineralization below the current resource pit design. An area of anomalous gold mineralization was identified over approximately 60 metres in drill hole DUP23-005 that included intersections of 1.78 g/t Au over 4.0 m and 2.73 g/t Au over 6.15 m, including 6.98 g/t Au over 0.7 m and 10.60 g/t Au over 0.65 m. Mineralization is hosted within both the syenite and at the contact with an argillitic unit, which may represent an affinity with a shear zone. Alteration includes areas of patchy chlorite and hematite, with limited sulphide mineralization occurring throughout.

Drill hole DUP23-007 targeted and validated a depth extension of the CDHG Zone and returned 1.34 g/t Au over 4.5 m hosted within syenite, as well as 1.01 g/t Au over 3.8 m and 1.16 g/t Au over 5.1 m hosted within sheared and altered basalt units interbedded with syenites. Drill hole DUP23-008 was focused on testing the extent of mineralization from surface and at depth, as well as the strike continuity of mineralization intercepted in DUP23-006, located 350 m to the east. Drill results for DUP23-008 returned 2.04 g/t Au over 3 m, and 2.83 g/t Au over 11 m, including 4.40 g/t Au over 3 m, and extends the mineralization which is hosted within a brecciated syenite-basalt contact with chlorite and silica alteration.

Drill holes DUP23-005, DUP23-007 and DUP23-008 were successful in confirming the depth extension of the current wireframes and interpolated block model to a depth of approximately 400 m below the surface, which supports further follow-up opportunities for unlocking higher-grade trends at depth. The Valentre target is located between the Central Duparquet and Dumico resource pit shells and focuses on the possible continuity of mineralization that was historically untested due to prior ownership boundaries. First Mining's maiden hole at the Valentre target, DUP23-006, aimed to test an open exploration opportunity of 175 m between these resource areas.

Significant gold mineralization was intersected in multiple intercepts along the length of DUP23-006, confirming a potential for continuity of the wireframes along strike in the area at a relatively shallow depth. The most significant intercept returned includes 2.07 g/t Au over 2.5 m located immediately to the northwest of the Dumico pit design, followed further down the hole by 1.82 g/t Au over 3.0 m. The host rock is syenite with silicification and local pyrite mineralization. The best intersection along strike and immediately below the wireframes from Central Duparquet included 1.71 g/t Au over 8.9 m, including 5.11 g/t Au over 1.0 m. This mineralization is typical of that which hosts the bulk of the current mineral resource located to the east of the Central Duparquet target, which includes a syenite-associated lath to megacrystic porphyry, with local units of gabbro.

Drill hole DUP23-006 confirms that the mineralization is continuous and present in several horizons between the most easterly resource pit shells from the Duparquet Gold Project's 2023 PEA. The drilling results returned from the Central Duparquet Target validate the existing resource model and support the delineation and advancement of higher-grade trends. Further drilling to demonstrate continuity along strike and at depth between the Central Duparquet and Dumico pit designs is recommended, as this area has the potential to holistically add meaningful ounces to the global Duparquet Gold Project.