Roland Commences Venezuela Mineral Rights Acquisition Program, Accesses Placer Dome’s Former Las Cristinas Gold Deposit Data

BOSTON, March 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Roland Mineral Enterprises Corp. (TSX.V: RME) announces it has commenced a Venezuelan Mineral Rights Acquisition Program to aggressively seek out and acquire interests in Venezuelan mineral properties, including mining rights to known gold, silver and copper mineral deposits, and exploration areas. 

Recent material events in Venezuela, including the removal of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Venezuela on January 3, 2026, the focus of Venezuela and the USA on immediately realizing on the potential of Venezuela’s oil and mineral resource assets for all stakeholders, and Venezuela’s new Draft Mining Law, make Venezuelan gold, silver and copper deposits and resources especially attractive for pioneering, transformative and rapidly adaptable resource companies like Roland Mineral Enterprises.

In connection with its Venezuelan Mineral Rights Acquisition Program, Roland has entered into a Strategic Access Agreement providing for Roland’s immediate access to, and utilization of, the material information created and developed by Placer Dome Inc. during its exploration and development of Venezuela’s Las Cristinas gold deposit. Information includes exploration data, Technical Reports and business information which was obtained and subsequently further developed by Vannessa Ventures Ltd. when it acquired Placer Dome’s interests in the Las Cristinas gold deposit in 2001. 

The Strategic Access Agreement also provides Roland with the exclusive use and benefit of Vannessa’s geologists, accountants, lawyers, and other contractors. Vannessa Ventures’ successors are parties to the Strategic Access Agreement. The Strategic Access Agreement has customary confidentiality clauses and provides for compensation to be negotiated based on future outcomes.

LAS CRISTINAS GOLD DEPOSIT

The Las Cristinas gold deposit is located in Bolívar State, southeastern Venezuela. Las Cristinas is one of the largest known undeveloped gold deposits in the world. The Brisas, Albino and other known gold deposits in Venezuela, together with gold, silver and copper exploration targets, including those made famous in the KM 88 Gold Rush prior to the late Hugo Chavez becoming President of Venezuela, are targets for Roland’s Venezuelan Mineral Rights Acquisition Program.

VENEZUELAN MINERAL RIGHTS ACQUISITION PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Roland intends to aggressively seek and acquire interests and rights to explore, develop and mine mineral properties in Venezuela under the new mining regime focusing immediately on existing known gold, copper and silver deposits. Roland is building a team of professionals, including those made available to Roland by the Strategic Access Agreement, with special Venezuelan expertise and a depth of Venezuela-specific knowledge, skills, experience and connections able to react quickly and adapt positively to expedite acquisitions and conduct confirmation exploration, development and mining for this unique and fast developing opportunity. Roland has special attributes as a dynamic, agile TSX Venture listed mineral resource company with ready access to specialized Canadian, American and International financial and mining expertise and mining-specific venture capital.

LAS CRISTINAS EXPLORATION, HISTORICAL RESOURCE ESTIMATES AND HISTORY

Placer Dome Inc. reported 1,084 diamond drill holes at Las Cristinas incurring more than $171 million in exploration and development expenditures prior to Placer Dome’s sale of its interests in Las Cristinas to Vannessa Ventures in 2001.

Mine Development Associates’ November 2007 Technical Report prepared for Crystallex International Corporation included Placer Dome’s exploration results in reporting the following at a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off based on 1,174 drill holes totaling 160,600 meters with a gold grade of 1.03 g/t – and assuming US$750/oz gold.

Las Cristinas Highlights

• Very advanced-stage gold project with extensive exploration and engineering studies conducted by major and junior mining companies over three decades.
• Substantial prior investment in mine development, infrastructure and community services by previous operators.
• Located within the prolific Guyana Shield which hosts additional large Venezuelan gold deposits including Brisas.

Las Cristinas History
Placer Dome Inc. entered a joint venture with state-owned CVG (Corporación Venezolana de Guayana) for the Las Cristinas Gold project. After extensive exploration and development, Placer Dome announced commencement of construction of the Las Cristinas mine in 1997. By 1999 gold prices had slipped to $275 with Placer Dome selling its stake in Las Cristinas to Vannessa Ventures in 2001.

Following Placer Dome’s sale of its interest in Las Cristinas to Vannessa Ventures, Venezuelan disputes led to the National Guard seizing control of the project. CVG was given Government authority to subsequently award mining of Las Cristinas to Crystallex International Corporation. Crystallex exited Las Cristinas in 2008 following the Venezuelan government’s refusal to grant the required exploitation permit.

MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY

“Las Cristinas is widely recognized as one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in the world,” said Frank Garofalo, Roland's Vice-President, Business Development. “Placer Dome's previous exploration and mine development together with work by Vannessa, Crystallex and others demonstrate Las Cristinas can be a world class, long-life gold mine of tremendous benefit to all stakeholders, especially Venezuelans. People are the cornerstone of success. Roland is assembling a specialized team to expeditiously advance its Venezuelan Mineral Rights Acquisition Program by working to acquire interests in Las Cristinas and other Venezuelan gold, silver and copper deposits and projects. Accessing Placer Dome’s and Vannessa’s Las Cristinas exploration data, and technical and other reports and their Venezuelan information and contacts accelerates Roland’s pursuit of Las Cristinas to realize on this opportunity. We are in a unique and opportune moment in Venezuelan mining history. We believe Venezuela's very recent opening to mining and investment, coupled with our immediate access to a wealth of data and people, make Roland’s Venezuelan Mineral Rights Acquisition Program especially well-timed and favorable.”

CAUTIONARY NOTES REGARDING HISTORICAL ESTIMATES AND PROPERTY INTERESTS

The resource estimates referenced herein are historical in nature and predate the involvement of Roland Mineral Enterprises Corp. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources or reserves. Roland is not treating the estimates as current. Verification work and additional technical studies will be required to confirm or update these estimates. The Strategic Access Agreement is limited to giving Roland access to data, information and people. It does not involve the acquisition of any property interests by Roland from the parties to the Strategic Access Agreement, including exploration, development or mining rights, permits or other property interests of any kind. 

PRIVATE PLACEMENT

Roland has agreed to a non-brokered private placement offering of 8,000,000 units at a price of $0.25 per unit for gross proceeds of $2,000,000. Each unit consists of one Roland common share and one half of one transferable warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder to purchase one additional share at a price of $0.35 per share for two years. Proceeds of the financing will be used for general corporate purposes. A 7% finder’s fee is payable on a portion of the private placement. The financing and finder’s fee are subject to acceptance for filing by the TSX Venture Exchange.

LAS CRUCITAS – COSTA RICAN GOLD MINE PROJECT

Roland also announces it is continuing to advance its negotiations to acquire, by Option Agreement, an interest in the Las Crucitas gold mine project. Las Crucitas is an advanced-stage gold project located in Costa Rica, as announced Oct 27, 2025. An Option Agreement is expected to be finalized within the next several weeks.

QUALIFIED PERSON

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Bohumil (Boris) Molak, PhD, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs, expectations, and assumptions of management as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding negotiations, potential acquisition of an interest in the Las Cristinas or other projects, or mineral interests of any kind, anticipated improvements in project dynamics, including, but not limited to, potential changes to Venezuelan mining legislation. Such statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including negotiation outcomes, regulatory matters and approvals, political developments, commodity price fluctuations, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Roland undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

ABOUT ROLAND MINERAL ENTERPRISES

ROLAND MINERAL ENTERPRISES CORP. is a public mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (Symbol: RME), focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of high-quality gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium and lithium assets in Canada and the Americas. Roland seeks to create value through strategic acquisitions, disciplined exploration, technical excellence and strategic partnerships and relationships. Roland’s projects include the Dominion Creek Dredge Gold project in the world-famous Klondike region of the Yukon Territory, the Gwyn Lake Gold project in the historic Beardmore-Geraldton Greenstone Gold Belt in Ontario; ownership of the Buck Lake platinum, palladium, nickel and gold project near the Lac des Iles Platinum and Palladium mine in Ontario, and a controlling interest in the Fox Creek Lithium Brine Project in Alberta, Canada.

On behalf of the Board of Directors
ROLAND MINERAL ENTERPRISES CORP.

PER: “Frank Garofalo”

FRANK GAROFALO, B.Sc. (MIT), M.Sc., MBA (Harvard)
Vice-President, Business Development

For further information please contact:

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which we have no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

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