New Gold Zone Discovery

Ariana Resources PLC
27 April 2006

                                



27 April 2006
AIM: AAU

                         KEPEZ: NEW GOLD ZONE DISCOVERY


Ariana Resources plc ('Ariana' or 'the Company'), the gold exploration company
focused exclusively on Turkey, announces the discovery of a significant zone of
high grade (up to 9.7 g/t) gold mineralisation at its Kepez prospect within
Ariana's 100% owned Sindirgi project in western Turkey. Kepez is one of five
identified prospects within the 224 km2 licence area.


Highlights:

   •New gold-bearing silicified zones up to 50m wide discovered at the Kepez
    prospect
   •Peak rock-chip grades of 9.77 g/t Au and 68.1 g/t Ag
   •Peak rock-chip grades in a newly identified stockwork zone of 9.73 g/t
    and 3.56 g/t Au


New Gold Zone, Kepez Prospect

In April 2006, a field team from Ariana's Turkish operating subsidiary, Galata
Madencilik San. ve Tic. Ltd. Sti. ('Galata') completed a programme of
reconnaissance rock-chip sampling and mapping over the Umurlar target within the
Kepez prospect area. Kepez hosts over 2.5km of mapped quartz veins including the
Karakaya Vein, approximately 1.5km south of Umurlar, where the Company recently
announced (February 2006) significant channel sample intersections, including
8.68 g/t Au over 16m.


Rock-chip samples were collected from three silicified bodies (quartz
stockworks, breccias and veins) outcropping at surface for up to 150 metres in
length, discontinuously along a total strike length of 1km and within a zone up
to 50m wide. Sampling has defined the presence of gold and silver mineralisation
at Umurlar, with peak grades of 9.77 g/t Au from a previously mapped area and
9.73 g/t Au (including 68.1 g/t Ag) as well as 3.56 g/t Au from a newly
identified quartz stockwork zone. The silicified nature of these areas indicate
formation at a high level in the hydrothermal system and the results highlight
further potential at depth, where grades may be expected to increase. Mapping
and systematic surface sampling will be undertaken to define targets for future
drill testing.


We have recently announced the discovery of a major gold zone within the
Kiziltepe prospect, which is one of five identified to date within the Sindirgi
project area.


Steven Poulton, Chief Executive, commented:

'This is the second major announcement within a week. Our team working at
Kiziltepe have confirmed a significant new gold zone and we now have the return
of consistent good grades over these silicified bodies at Umurlar within the
Kepez prospect, which is very encouraging. With over 45km of gold-silver bearing
epithermal quartz veins from only 50% of the 224 km2 Sindirgi project area, and
with new zones constantly being located, Ariana's strategy has been to define
multiple priority drill targets for resource definition. Our systematic approach
is paying dividends as the considerable potential for the project area becomes
increasingly clear'.



Contacts:

Ariana Resources plc
Steven Poulton, Chief Executive                                        Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]@arianaresources.com             Mobile: [phone]

Bankside Consultants
Michael Padley / Susan Scott                                           Tel: [phone]


Editors note:


About the Sindirgi Gold Project

The Sindirgi gold project covers an area of 224 km2 in Balikesir Province,
western Turkey. To date at least five target areas have been defined by Ariana,
which include the prospects of Kiziltepe, Kepez, Karaduz, Kavakliduz and
Kizilcukur. Previous operators have defined over 45km of low sulphidation quartz
veins on the project. Sindirgi lies approximately 100km east of the one million
ounce vein-hosted Ovacik gold mine and 115km northwest of the five million ounce
Kisladag gold mine. Ariana acquired the Sindirgi gold project from Newmont
Mining Corporation (NYSE & ASX: NEM; TSX: NMC) in March 2005. Newmont retains
the right to a royalty of up to 2.5% on future gold production from the Sindirgi
gold project.


About the Kepez Prospect

The Kepez prospect lies within a 36km2 ten-year renewable operating licence
within the Sindirgi gold project which also contains the Kiziltepe prospect.


Kepez hosts over 2.5km in strike length of gold-silver bearing low-sulphidation
epithermal quartz veins, across an area of at least 2km by 1km. Individual veins
are exposed for up to 850m and widths vary between 1m and 25m. The main vein
trends northward, dips to the west at 50 degrees and is hosted along the contact
between Miocene age andesitic volcanic rocks and Cretaceous ophiolitic units.
Channel sampling by Ariana (previously reported in February 2006) returned a
best intersect of 8.68 g/t Au over 16m.


Sampling and Assaying Procedures

The Umurlar programme at Kepez consisted of the collection of 28 reconnaissance
rock chip samples. Of these 19 samples returned grades less than 0.5 g/t Au (67%
of the total), 3 samples between 0.5-1 g/t Au (11% of total), 3 between 1-5 g/t
Au (11% of total) and 3 samples assayed above 5 g/t Au (11% of total), with a
peak grade of 9.77 g/t Au.


All samples have been prepared by the ALS Chemex preparation facility in Izmir
and assayed by fire assay at the ALS Chemex laboratory in Vancouver. Regular
standard and blank samples are being used in the sample sequence in line with
the Company's quality control procedures.


Dr Kerim Sener, BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, is Ariana's Exploration Director. A
graduate of the University of Southampton in Geology, he also holds a Master's
degree from the Royal School of Mines (Imperial College, London) in Mineral
Exploration and a doctorate from the University of Western Australia. He is a
Fellow of The Geological Society of London and has worked in geological research
and mineral consultancy in Southern Africa and the Northern Territory of
Australia. He has read and approved the technical disclosure in this regulatory
announcement.


About Ariana Resources

Ariana is a technology-driven exploration company focused on the discovery of
multi-million ounce potential epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold
deposits within the Tethyan metallogenic belt of Turkey. The Company has a
portfolio of prospective licences covering approximately 1,000km2, selected on
the basis of its advanced in-house remote sensing database. Ariana's broker is
Ambrian Partners Limited and Beaumont Cornish Limited is the Company's nominated
adviser.


For further information on Ariana you are invited to visit the Company's website
at www.arianaresources.com.



Ends



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