VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abacus Mining & Exploration Corporation (“Abacus” or the
“Company”) (TSXV:AME) announces that pursuant to an agreement with an officer, and as provided under the Company's approved stock
option plan and subject to regulatory policies, the Board of Directors has approved the issuance of stock options allowing for the
acquisition of up to, in the aggregate, 150,000 shares in the capital stock of the Company at a price of $0.25 per share for a
period of five years from the date of grant. Insiders and directors of the Company had been on a trading blackout until receipt of
notice from the British Columbia Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum
Resources on the issuance of an Environmental Assessment Certificate (“EAC”) for the Ajax project. On December 14, 2017, the
governmental agency announced that the EAC had been declined, following which the Company lifted the trading blackout.
On Behalf of the Board,
ABACUS MINING & EXPLORATION CORPORATION
Michael McInnis
Executive Chairman
About Abacus
Abacus is a mineral exploration and mine development company with a 20% interest in the Ajax Project located at
the historic Ajax-Afton site southwest of Kamloops, B.C., and an option to acquire up to a 75% interest in the Willow copper-gold
property located in Nevada. Through KGHM Ajax Mining Inc., a joint venture company between Abacus (20%) and KGHM Polska Miedz S.A.
(KGHM) (80%), the Ajax Mine is being funded in large part by KGHM and operated by its wholly-owned subsidiary, KGHM International
Ltd. For the latest reports and information on Abacus’ projects, please refer to the Company’s website at www.amemining.com.
Forward-Looking Information
This release includes certain statements that are deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in
this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Abacus expects to occur, are
forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not
always, identified by the words “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential” and
similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur. Although the Company believes
the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not
guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors
that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include changes to commodity
prices, mine and metallurgical recovery, operating and capital costs, foreign exchange rates, ability to obtain required permits on
a timely basis, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic,
market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual
results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements
are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as
required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the
event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
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.