First Mining Commences 2026 Drilling Campaign and Signs Milestone Drilling Partnership with Forage Anicinape at the Duparquet Gold Project

Press Release

May 21, 2026 – Vancouver, Canada – First Mining Gold Corp. (“First Mining” or the “Company”) (TSX: FF) (OTCQX: FFMGF) (FRANKFURT: FMG) is pleased to announce the commencement of project activities and the signing of a new drilling partnership at its Duparquet Gold Project (“Duparquet Project” or the “Project”) located in the Abitibi region of Quebec, Canada, with Forage Anicinape (“Forage Anicinape”), an Indigenous-led drilling company established through a partnership between Forages Rouillier and the Coopérative de solidarité de Pikogan, representing the Pikogan First Nation. The partnership reflects First Mining’s continued focus on building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and businesses while advancing exploration and development activities at Duparquet.

First Mining’s initial 2026 drill campaign at Duparquet is expected to total approximately 12,000 metres and will focus on increasing resource confidence, advancing exploration of resource growth opportunities, and supporting future economic and technical studies through geotechnical, metallurgical, hydrogeological and other technical drilling programs. The campaign builds on the last three years of successful exploration and project advancement work the Company has completed at Duparquet.

“We are pleased to partner and be an out-of-the-gate client with Forage Anicinape as we continue advancing the Duparquet Project,” said Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining. “Developing strong partnerships with Indigenous communities and businesses is an important part of how we operate and how we advance our projects with a responsibility directly aimed at seeking meaningful Indigenous participation. This collaboration reflects our commitment to creating long-term opportunities and shared success as we continue to advance the Duparquet Project.”

“We are proud to begin this partnership with First Mining at the Duparquet Project,” said Kenny Ruperthouse, General Manager of Coopérative de solidarité de Pikogan. “Forage Anicinape was created to build meaningful opportunities for Indigenous workers and communities through responsible mineral exploration activities. This partnership represents an important step in strengthening Indigenous participation in the mining sector while contributing to economic development and workforce growth in the region.”

Forage Anicinape was established in 2024 by Forages Rouillier in collaboration with the Coopérative de solidarité de Pikogan as part of a broader commitment to strengthening Indigenous participation in mineral exploration activities in Québec.

The 2026 drilling program commenced in Q2 2026 and will advance utilising two diamond drill rigs throughout the year, and will include follow-up drilling at the Miroir target, a key priority area and growth target following encouraging results from the 2025 drilling program released in March. Highlights from that program include drill hole DUP25-085 returning  3.74 g/t Au over 15.5 m and 7.18 g/t over 8.0 m, including 30.58 g/t over 1.65 m, and hole DUP25-090 returning 4.08 g/t Au over 12.0 m, including 11.20 g/t Au over 1.0 m, which continue to support Miroir as a priority target within the broader Duparquet Project.

About the Duparquet Gold Project

The Duparquet Project is situated in the southern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and is geographically located approximately 50 km northwest of the city of Rouyn-Noranda. The Project benefits from easy access and proximity to an existing workforce and infrastructure, including road, rail and hydroelectric grid power. The Duparquet Project currently hosts an NI 43-101 compliant gold resource of 3.44 million ounces in the Measured & Indicated category, grading 1.55 g/t Au, and an additional 2.64 million ounces in the Inferred category, grading 1.62 g/t Au. First Mining completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment1 (“PEA”) on the Project in 2023.

The Duparquet Project totals approximately 5,800 hectares focused on an area of 19 km of strike length along the prolific Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone, along with numerous mineralized splays and influential secondary lineaments. The Duparquet Project includes the past-producing Beattie, Donchester and Duquesne mines as well as the Central Duparquet, Dumico and Pitt Gold deposits.

1 Further details on the Duparquet PEA can be found in the technical report entitled “NI 43-101 Technical Report: Preliminary Economic Assessment, Duparquet Gold Project, Quebec, Canada” dated October 20, 2023, which was prepared for First Mining by G Mining Services Inc. in accordance with NI 43-101 and is available under First Mining’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca

Qualified Person

Caroline Pienaar, P.Geo., Director of Exploration for First Mining, is a “Qualified Person” for the purposes of NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About First Mining Gold Corp.

First Mining is a gold developer advancing two of the largest gold projects in Canada, the Springpole Gold Project in northwestern Ontario, where permitting activities are on-going with a final Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Assessment for the project submitted in November 2024, and the Duparquet Gold Project in Quebec, a PEA-stage development project located on the Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone in the prolific Abitibi region. First Mining also owns a 20% project interest in the Pickle Crow Gold Project in Ontario and large equity interest in Seva Mining Corp.

First Mining was established in 2015 by Mr. Keith Neumeyer, founder and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp.

ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.

Daniel W. Wilton
Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information, please contact:

Toll Free: 1 844 306 8827 | Email: info@firstmininggold.com
Paul Morris | Director, Investor Relations | Email: paul@firstmininggold.com

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