Shearwater Regulatory News (SWG)

6 Dec 2005 09:32

Aurum Mining PLC06 December 2005 For immediate release 6 December 2005 AURUM MINING PLC ("Aurum" or "the Company") Andash Exploration Update: significant extension to Zone 1 indicated Aurum Mining plc (AIM: AUR), the company formed to acquire gold and othermineral extraction projects in the Former Soviet Union, is pleased to announcean update on the exploration programme at its Andash gold and copper project inthe Kyrgyz Republic. A programme of re-opening, cleaning and extending trenches in Zones 1 and 2 wascompleted in November 2005. In addition a new exploration opportunity,Tokhonysay, within the Andash exploration licence area was identified andtrenched. A total of 1324m of trenching was undertaken with 536 samples sent forassay. Trenching at an outcrop location 250m east of Zone 1 intersected 13m ofmineralisation containing gold at 1.2 g/t and copper at 0.5%. The area betweenZone 1 and this outcrop location is covered by overburden. This is an indicationof a significant extension to Zone 1. Further surface work and drilling will beinitiated in January 2006 to confirm this. Zone 1 obtained Kyrgyz reserve status in August 2005 when the State Commissionof Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic included 21.7 million tonnes of C1 and C2reserves, containing gold and gold equivalent of more than 1.5 million oz. Trenching close to Zone 2 intersected 4m of mineralisation containing gold at13.3 g/t, highlighting the significant potential of the Andash licence area.This mineralisation indicates an extension of the outcrop zone. Previouspublished work mapped the outcrop zone to be about 65m by 135m with averagegrades of 0.51 g/t of gold and 0.19% copper. Trenching at a new exploration opportunity, Tokhonysay, intersected 33m ofmineralisation at an average grade of 1.4 g/t gold and 1.6% copper. This newarea is located 2.4km north-east of Zone 1. Aurum secured its exploration licence for the Andash gold and copper explorationproject through the acquisition, in January 2005, of Kaldora Company Ltd. Commenting on the latest exploration results, Mark Jones, Aurum's ChiefExecutive, said: "These new results confirm that we have significant upsidepotential on our resource. In particular the extension to Zone 1, which alreadyhas Kyrgyz reserve status, and the finding of a new opportunity in Tokhonysaywill be pleasing to stakeholders. With our consultants Wardell ArmstrongInternational we have completed the planning of exploration programmes for Zones2 and 3 and for four new exploration areas. We look forward to this workstarting in the new year." For further information please contact: Aurum Mining Tel: 020 7478 9050Mark Jones, Chief Executive WH Ireland Tel: 0121 616 2101Tim Cofman Buchanan Communications Tel: 020 7466 5000Mark Court Notes for editors About Aurum Mining Aurum Mining joined the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in May 2004 withthe strategy of seeking, evaluating and acquiring gold and other mineralextraction projects in the Former Soviet Union (FSU). In January 2005 theCompany completed its first acquisition, giving the Company an explorationlicence over a gold and copper project in the Kyrgyz Republic. In its StateRegister, the State Commission of Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic has included21.7 million tonnes of C1 and C2 reserves from the project, amounting to goldand gold equivalent of more than 1.5 million ozs. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange