Iconic Gold Enters Into Option and Exploration Agreement For The Ginette Project

Company Secures Exclusive Three-Year Option and Exploration Rights to Over 4,951-Hectare Project in the Province of Santa Cruz

Not For Distribution To United States Newswire Services Or For Dissemination In The United States

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 31, 2026 / International Iconic Gold Exploration Corp. ("Iconic Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV:ICON) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arm's length option and exploration agreement (the "Agreement") dated March 30, 2026 to acquire a 100% interest in the Ginette mining property (the "Property" or "Ginette"), with various holders, including SAMCO S.A. ("Samco"), pursuant to which the Company has been granted the exclusive right to explore, and an option to acquire a 100% interest in, the Property, which is located in the Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina.

A Strategic Addition To The Iconic Gold Portfolio

Entry into of the Agreement reflects Iconic Gold's revived strategic focus on high-quality precious metals assets in proven mining jurisdictions. Following a period of limited activity, we are focused on advancing the Company's portfolio of precious metals assets in a disciplined manner, with the objective of improving market recognition of underlying asset value and positioning the Company for future capital raising initiatives. We intend to allocate approximately 10% of our long-term exploration budget, including 5% of the gross proceeds from our Financing (defined below) to the advancement of Ginette, subject to the availability of capital and ongoing technical evaluation.

The addition of Ginette forms part of the Company's broader strategy to maintain a diversified portfolio of gold and silver exploration properties. In addition to Ginette, the Company holds a portfolio of four exploration-stage assets and intends to advance these properties through staged exploration programs designed to evaluate their potential while managing capital prudently.

Exploration and Option Agreement

Under the terms of the Agreement, Iconic Gold has been granted the right to explore the Property at its own cost and risk for a term of three (3) years from the date of the Agreement, upon issuing the optionors an aggregate of 3,950,000 common shares of the Company (the "Consideration Shares") at a deemed price of $0.15 per share - for a total deemed value of $592,500. The Consideration Shares will be subject to the following staged release conditions: 50% subject to a four-month and one day hold period; 25% subject to a six-month-hold period; and the remaining 25% subject to an eight-month hold period.

The Agreement also grants the Company an option to acquire 100% of the mining rights respecting the Property from the optionors (the "Purchase Option") upon payment of US$1,000,000 in cash to Samco S.A. within the first three years of the effective date of the Agreement, which payments must be made as follows: US$5,000 within 12 months; US$5,000 within 24 months; and US$990,000 within 36 months from the effective date of the Agreement. If the Purchase Option is exercised, the optionors will retain a 1% net smelter royalty (the "NSR") on the sale value of all minerals produced and products obtained from the mining and processing of minerals from the Property, for the life of the deposit, subject to the Company's right to acquire 100% of the NSR at any time within the first two years of commercial production for US$1,000,000. The Agreement is subject to all required regulatory approvals, including acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The Consideration Shares are to be issued within five business days of the Exchange Acceptance Date. The Company confirms that the Agreement does not constitute a "Fundamental Acquisition" as defined in TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.

Shashank Bhatt, President and CEO of Iconic Gold, comments as follows:

"The option of the Ginette project provides the Company with an additional exploration stage asset in Argentina, which we hope will reinvigorate interest in Iconic Gold after a period of relative dormancy".

"The Company's intention with this transaction is to complement its existing portfolio of exploration properties without taking away the focus from its flagship assets. On the back of this acquisition, the Company intends to raise a small amount of capital and allocate such capital across its various exploration assets, focusing on San Roque, while continuing to seek further strategic opportunities."

Financing

The Company also announces its intention to carry out a non-brokered private placement offering of 666,667 units at $0.15 per unit (the "Financing") for gross proceeds of $100,000. Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and one (1) transferable Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"), each Warrant to be exercisable at $0.15 for a period of 36 months following the closing of the Financing. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Financing as follows: $5,000 towards exploration at Ginette; $6,300 towards Exchange filing fees; $50,000 towards accrued general and administrate expenses; and $38,700 towards exploration at the Company's San Roque, Fontana, Ortiquita, and Lago Fontana projects.

None of the securities referenced herein will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state where such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.

On behalf of the Company,

Shashank Bhatt
President & CEO
(236) 266-5174

Contact Information:

Email: info@iconicgold.com
Website: www.iconicgold.com

For further information regarding International Iconic Gold Exploration Corp., please refer to the Company's filings available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) or at Iconic Gold's Website (www.iconicgold.com).

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ICONIC GOLD EXPLORATION CORP.

International Iconic Gold Exploration Corp. (TSXV:ICON) is a Canadian precious metals exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of gold and silver assets. The Company is managed by an experienced team of mining and capital markets professionals committed to creating shareholder value through disciplined asset selection, responsible exploration, and transparent corporate governance. For more information, please visit www.iconicgold.com or contact the Company at info@iconicgold.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipates", "plans", "expects", "intends", "believes", "will", "may", "should", "could", "would", "estimates", "targets", or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, without limitation, statements regarding: (i) the anticipated completion and terms of the Option and Exploration Agreement, including the issuance of the Consideration Shares and payment of cash consideration to the optionors; (ii) the purpose of the Agreement and the option over Ginette; (iii)the Financing and the intended use of proceeds therefrom; (iv) the expected receipt of TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and satisfaction of all conditions precedent to the Company's acquisition of exploration rights and closing of the Purchase Option; (v) the Company's ability to exercise the Purchase Option and ultimately acquire 100% of the mining rights in the Ginette Property; and (vi) the Company's broader corporate strategy, portfolio development plans, and positioning in the current precious metals market environment. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: the failure to obtain necessary regulatory, Exchange, and other approvals required to complete the transaction; the risk that the transaction may not be completed on the anticipated terms or at all; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and the significant risks inherent in mineral exploration activities, including that exploration results may not be as anticipated; the possibility that exploration work does not confirm or expand upon historical data and results; fluctuations in gold and silver commodity prices; changes in applicable laws and regulations, including Argentine mining and foreign investment legislation; political, economic, and social risks in Argentina; the Company's ability to obtain sufficient financing to fund planned exploration activities; competition from other exploration and mining companies; the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; environmental risks and the potential for environmental liability; and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulators and available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are based will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary note. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements unless required to do so by applicable securities laws.

Neither 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.

SOURCE: International Iconic Gold Exploration Corp.