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New Liberty feasibility drilling results completed Resource update expected in Q4 2011

November 8, 2011

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November 8, 2011

Aureus Mining Inc.

TSX : AUE

AIM : AUE

NEWS RELEASE
New Liberty feasibility drilling results completed
Resource update expected in Q4 2011
 

Aureus Mining Inc. (“Aureus” or the “Company”) announces the receipt of all drilling results for its feasibility drilling programme at the New Liberty gold project within the Company’s 100% owned Bea Mountain Mining License in Liberia.

  • Assay results have now been received for the final 80 holes of the 190-hole programme totalling 28,397 metres. The majority of this drilling and assaying work has been executed in the last five months.
  • Results from the fourth and final set of 80 holes (12,801 metres) returned multiple high-grade intercepts which include highlights of:
  • 13.7 g/t over 5 metres
  • 8.2 g/t over 14 metres
  • 7.6 g/t over 8 metres
  • 7.3 g/t over 9 metres
  • 6.9 g/t over 10 metres
  • 6.4 g/t over 8 metres
  • 6.3 g/t over 10 metres
  • 6.1 g/t over 10 metres
  • 5.9 g/t over 8 metres
  • 5.5 g/t over 36 metres
  • 4.8 g/t over 19 metres
  • 4.4 g/t over 16 metres
  • 4.4 g/t over 21 metres
  • 3.8 g/t over 17 metres
  • 3.7 g/t over 22 metres
  • 3.3 g/t over 29 metres
  • The feasibility drilling programme was designed to estimate the number of ounces that could potentially fall within an open pit covering a strike length of 1.75km and a depth of 200 metres. These are the approximate dimensions of the open pit design as defined within the Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”), based on the previous resource estimate, and filed by the Company in December 2010. The principal objectives of the drill programme were to fill in the gaps within the known mineralised ore body as well as outline potential strike and depth extensions to the previous resource estimate.
  • Wireframe modelling has now been completed for the ore body by the Company’s geologists and this model and relevant drill hole data is being analysed by our resource consultants, Australian Mining Consultants. A new NI 43-101 resource estimate update of the New Liberty deposit is expected in Q4 2011.
  • The New Liberty deposit is still open in the east with the easternmost hole returning 14 metres grading 3.5 g/t gold. A further 15-hole (2,459m) programme of diamond drilling has recently been completed and covers a potential eastern extension of 400 metres, with results pending.

Commenting on the results, David Reading, Chief Executive Officer of Aureus, said:

“The receipt of all the assay results for the drilling programme represents another important and significant milestone in the Company’s feasibility study for New Liberty. The fast turnaround of these results has been achieved through efficient assay processing and consistent and sustained drilling throughout the rainy season in Liberia. We have now doubled the drill intercepts within the deposit and we are on track to announce a resource update. We look forward to releasing a maiden reserve and a summary of the main results of the DFS early in 2012.”

New Liberty Project – All results now returned for the feasibility drilling programme.

The feasibility drilling programme was designed to estimate the quantity of gold resources within the New Liberty deposit down to a depth of 200 metres below surface and over a strike length of 1.75 kilometres. These are the approximate dimensions of the open pit design as defined within the Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”), which was filed on SEDAR in December 2010 and was based on the previous filed resource estimate. New Liberty has an estimated Indicated Mineral Resource of 751,000 ounces of gold grading 4.17 g/t (contained in 5,599,000 tonnes) and an estimated Inferred Mineral Resource of 762,000 ounces of gold grading 3.40 g/t (contained in 7,040,000 tonnes). This NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate was filed on SEDAR in December 2010. The Feasibility drill programme is now complete and totals 190 holes for 28,397 metres of diamond drill core. The Company has received assay results for the total drilling campaign.

The 80 holes announced in this release cover 12,801 metres of drilling and is located within the western portion of the deposit and Latiff – Kinjor areas. The results are considered by the Company to be positive and confirm the continuity of the main zone from surface to a depth of 200 metres along the strike length of 1.75 kilometres. These results, along with those from the previous press releases of July to September, have significantly improved the wireframe model of the deposit. Grade variability with the ore body reflects the pinch and swell nature of this shear hosted mineralisation and the steeply dipping plunge of the high grade zones. In all cases the mineralised units are defined by the presence of disseminated sulphides which are hosted in altered and sheared ultramafic rocks.

The results of all 80 holes are outlined below:

Table 1: New Liberty Diamond drill results

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length(m) Mean Au g/t Zone
KGD 285 177 182 5 3.35 Kinjor
And 219 231 12 0.72
And 266 268 2 1.30
KGD 286 161 174 13 2.13 Marvoe
KGD 287 38 57 19 1.77 Larjor
Including 46 57 11 2.60
KGD 288 21 39 18 2.49 Larjor
Including 25 33 8 5.11
KGD 290 0 14 14 0.98 Larjor
KGD292 9.5 19 9.5 1.43 Larjor
K2GD 293 39 42 3 0.74 Latiff
KGD 294 116 124 8 7.60 Marvoe
KGD 296 6 12 6 0.51 Kinjor
KGD 299 4 15 11 2.09 Larjor
KGD 300 20 24 4 1.83 Kinjor
KGD 301 0 18 18 1.61 Larjor
KGD 302 0 16 16 2.62 Kinjor
Including 8 14 6 5.56
KGD 303 85 94 9 2.32 Kinjor
And 125 133 8 1.74
KGD 304 255 260 5 9.66 Latiff
KGD 305 13 33 20 2.53 Kinjor
Including 23 30 7 6.24
KGD 306 68 81 13 1.05 Larjor
KGD 307 66 77 11 1.53 Larjor
KGD 308 168 178 10 6.88 Latiff
And 222 225 3 1.03
KGD 309 98 128 30 0.96 Larjor
Including 114 128 14 1.61
KGD 310 12 22 10 6.29 Kinjor
KGD 311 70 78 8 0.44 Kinjor
KGD 312 1 4 3 0.56 Larjor
KGD 313 17 30 13 1.52 Kinjor
KGD 314 0 23 23 0.88 Larjor
KGD 315 91 99 8 0.59 Larjor
KGD 316 12 33 21 1.91 Larjor
KGD 317 136 155 19 2.88 Larjor
Including 146 154 8 6.42
KGD 320 97 117 20 2.77 Larjor
Including 112 117 5 8.32
KGD 321 269 274 5 13.68 Kinjor
KGD 322 129 148 19 2.98 Larjor
Including 140 148 8 5.90
KGD 323 131 152 21 1.11 Larjor
KGD 325 203 212 9 1.50 Larjor
KGD 326 34 63 29 3.29 Larjor
Including 50 62 12 6.86
KGD 327 18 52 34 2.58 Larjor
Including 25 47 22 3.74
KGD 328 0 4 4 0.61 Larjor
KGD 329 124 130 6 1.37 Larjor
KGD 330 0 35 35 0.80 Larjor
KGD 331 143 172 29 1.77 Larjor
Including 163 171 8 4.63
KGD 332 223 228 5 1.29 Kinjor
And 273 282 9 1.31
KGD 333 103 106 3 0.67 Larjor
KGD 335 54 83 29 3.53 Larjor
Including 63 82 19 4.84
KGD 336 25 61 36 5.49 Larjor
Including 33 47 14 10.71
KGD 337 199 214 15 2.80 Kinjor
KGD 338 229 235 6 7.50 Kinjor
KGD 339 221 228 7 1.85 Latiff
And 250 258 8 0.91
KGD 340 145 152 7 2.86 Kinjor
KGD 341 156 158 2 0.59 Kinjor
KGD 342 191 207 16 4.43 Kinjor
KGD 343 132 136 4 1.28 Kinjor
And 158 164 6 1.12
And 171 178 7 1.13
KGD 345 189 198 9 3.12 Latiff
And 203 210 7 2.04
KGD 346 102 108 6 5.82 Kinjor
KGD 347 95 104 9 7.29 Kinjor
KGD 348 196 205 9 1.58 Kinjor
KGD 349 81 91 10 6.13 kinjor
KGD 350 254 288 34 2.46 Kinjor
Including 257 265 8 4.93
Including 276 285 9 4.16
KGD 351 91 99 8 3.87 Kinjor
KGD 352 258 268 10 1.53 Latiff
KGD 353 82 94 12 0.92 Kinjor
And 98 100 2 2.97
KGD 354 147 160 13 4.62 Marvoe
KGD 355 226 243 17 3.85 Latiff
KGD 356 226 231 5 3.48 Kinjor
And 273 279 6 1.95
KGD 357 133 140 7 1.92 Marvoe
KGD 358 123 136 13 3.67 Kinjor
KGD 360 129 136 7 2.77 Kinjor
KGD 361 4 7 3 2.65 Marvoe
And 40 89 49 2.89
Including 49 63 14 8.19
KGD 362 123 134 11 3.78 Kinjor
And 144 171 27 2.29
Including 149 162 13 4.31
KGD 363 117 125 8 4.12 Marvoe
And 149 183 34 0.55
KGD 364 129 150 21 4.37 Larjor
Including 131 147 16 5.59
Note: KGD 289, 291, 295, 297, 298, 318, 324, 334, 344 and 359 were un-mineralised and KGD 319 stopped in HW

All of the assay data, as well as other borehole and geological information, has now been incorporated into a digital database and a wireframe model has been constructed by the Company’s geological team. All of this information has now been handed over to the Company’s resource consultants, Australian Mining Consultants, for the necessary audit and verification work as well as the completion of an updated NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource estimate. The upgraded resource is expected within Q4 2011.

The location of the drill intercepts in plan and in a longitudinal section as well as representative sections over the 17,500 metre strike length can be viewed in figures one to four by visiting the following links:

http://aureus-mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Slide1.png

http://aureus-mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Slide2.png

http://aureus-mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Slide3.png

http://aureus-mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Slide4.png

 

 

 

Contact Information

Aureus Mining Inc.David Reading / Jeremy CaveTel: +44(0) 20 7257 2930 BuchananBobby Morse / James StrongTel: +44(0) 20 7466 5000
Evolution Securities LimitedNomad: Jeremy Ellis / Neil ElliotJoint Broker: Tim RedfernTel: +44(0) 20 7071 4300 RBC Capital MarketsMartin Eales / Richard HughesTel: +44(0) 20 7653 4000

Qualified Person

The Company’s Qualified Person responsible for preparing this release is David Reading, who holds a MSc in Economic Geology from University of Waterloo, Canada and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. David Reading is the President and CEO of Aureus Mining Inc. and consents to the inclusion in the announcement of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears and confirms that this information is accurate and not false or misleading.

Assay and sampling information are taken from the Company’s database as prepared on New Liberty site by the project geologists. Drill core is split on site and sent under custody to the Alex Stewart-OMAC sample preparation facility in Monrovia where pulps are prepared and dispatched to the OMAC laboratory in Ireland for analysis by fire assay with an atomic absorption finish.

Quality control and quality assurance procedures include the regular and methodical implementation of field duplicates, blank samples, standards and laboratory repeats as well as regular and specific programmes of re-assaying and umpire laboratory assaying.

About Aureus Mining

The Company’s assets include the New Liberty gold deposit in Liberia (the “New Liberty Gold Project”), which has an estimated Indicated Mineral Resource of 751,000 ounces of gold grading 4.17 g/t (contained in 5,599,000 tonnes) and an estimated Inferred Mineral Resource of 762,000 ounces of gold grading 3.40 g/t (contained in 7,040,000 tonnes). A preliminary economic assessment (“PEA”) of the New Liberty Gold Project filed in December 2010 outlined a robust open pit gold mine with a pre-tax NPV of US$234 million based on an $1100/oz. gold price and a 10% discount rate. The PEA outlined an 8.5 year mine life with approximate production of 100,000 ounces per year in the first five years. The New Liberty Gold Project is being advanced through to a definitive feasibility study.

The New Liberty Gold Project locates within the Bea Mountain mining license which covers 457 km² and has a 25 year, renewable, mineral development agreement. The Bea Mountain mining license also hosts the proximal gold targets of Ndablama, Weaju, Silver Hills and Gondoja, which are the focus of exploration programs during 2011.

The Company also has gold assets within exploration properties in Sierra Leone and Cameroon.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains certain forward-looking information. All information, other than information regarding historical fact that addresses activities, events or developments that Aureus Mining believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future is forward-looking information. Forward-looking information contained in this press release includes, but may not be limited to, the future plans and objectives of Aureus Mining and their anticipated future growth, mineral resource estimates and the anticipated exploration and development activities of Aureus Mining. The foregoing and any other forward-looking information contained in this press release reflects the current expectations, assumptions or beliefs of Aureus Mining based on information currently available to Aureus Mining. With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this press release, Aureus Mining has made assumptions regarding, among other things: general business, economic and mining industry conditions; and it has also been assumed that no material adverse change in the price of precious and/or base metals occurs, no unusual geological or technical problems occur and no significant events occur outside of the normal course of Aureus Mining’s respective business.

Such forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including: risks normally incidental to exploration and development of mineral properties; uncertainties in the interpretation of results from drilling and test work; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with expectations; uncertainty of mineral resources estimates; adverse changes in precious and/or base metal prices; and future unforeseen liabilities and other factors including, but not limited to, those listed under “Risk Factors” in the Preliminary Prospectus of Aureus Mining Inc. dated April 20, 2011, a copy of which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and in the Aureus Mining Admission Document, a copy of which is available at www.aureus–mining.com.

Any mineral resource figures referred to in this press release are estimates and no assurances can be given that the indicated levels of minerals will be produced. Such estimates are expressions of judgment based on knowledge, mining experience, analysis of drilling results and industry practices. Valid estimates made at a given time may significantly change when new information becomes available. While Aureus Mining believes that the mineral resource estimates in respect of their respective properties are well established, by their nature mineral resource estimates are imprecise and depend, to a certain extent, upon statistical inferences which may ultimately prove unreliable. If such mineral resource estimates are inaccurate or are reduced in the future, this could have a material adverse impact on Aureus Mining, as applicable. Due to the uncertainty that may be attached to inferred mineral resources, it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration.

Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable law, Aureus Mining disclaims any obligation to update or modify such forward-looking information, either as a result of new information, future events or for any other reason.