Purchase of Tavsan Project

4 April 2008
AIM / PLUS Markets: AAU

                     PURCHASE OF TAVSAN PROJECT

Ariana  Resources  plc   ("Ariana"  or  "the   Company"),  the   gold
exploration and development company focused on Turkey, is pleased  to
announce that it has signed a Heads of Agreement for the purchase  of
the Tavsan Project (the "Tavsan Project") which comprises a total  of
10 licences, from Odyssey Resources Limited (TSX-V: ODX) ("Odyssey").

Highlights


  * Purchase of 100% of the Tavsan Project from Odyssey



  * Removal of an earn-back right held by Teck Cominco Arama ve
    Madencilik Sanayi Ticaret A.S. ("TCAM"), a subsidiary of Teck
    Cominco Limited



  * Revised royalty structure on the Tavsan Project with TCAM


Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:

"We are  pleased  to  have  concluded  this  agreement  with  Odyssey
Resources and TCAM.  The Tavsan  Project demonstrates merit as a  low
capital-cost  heap  leach  project  which  complements  our   growing
portfolio of resource development opportunities in western Turkey.

"The addition of  the Tavsan Project  to the Company  gives us  total
resources of approximately 270,000 ounces  gold equivalent.  We  plan
to undertake  additional  drilling  on  the  Tavsan  Project  to  add
resources  and  to  initiate  a  scoping  study  for  a  heap   leach
operation."

Heads of Agreement

The Heads  of  Agreement  relates  to the  sale  of  ten  exploration
licences ("Licences") in Turkey owned by Odyssey's subsidiary, Pusula
Madencilik San. ve  Tic. Ltd. ("Pusula"),  collectively known as  the
Tavsan Project, to Galata Madencilik San. ve Tic. Ltd. ("Galata"),  a
subsidiary of Ariana.

Completion of the transaction is subject to:

1.      The requisite Turkish regulatory authorities recording Galata
as the registered owner of a 100% interest in the Licenses;

2.       Conclusion of a  complementary agreement between Galata  and
TCAM;

3.      TSX Venture Exchange approval;

4.      The receipt by Ariana of requisite regulatory approval.

As consideration for the transfer of the Licences, Ariana has  agreed
to pay Odyssey:

1.          A  non-refundable deposit  of  US$250,000 in  cash  on  a
definitive agreement relating to the transfer of the Licences; and

2.      A deferred payment of US$250,000 in cash, and the  equivalent
of GBP  150,000 in  ordinary shares  in the  capital of  Ariana  (the
"Shares") at an issue  price of 5 pence  per Share (collectively  the
"Deferred Payment").  The Deferred  Payment will  be held  in  escrow
until the transfer of the Licences is accepted by the Turkish General
Directorate of Mining Affairs.   The Shares will  be subject to a  12
month hold period which will run  from the date on which TSX  Venture
Exchange approval is received for the transaction.

TCAM

In conjunction with the  agreement with Odyssey,  TCAM has agreed  to
waive its earn-back rights with respect to the Tavsan Project and  to
modify its Net Smelter Returns royalty, in exchange for six  licences
held by Galata in the Canakkale area of northwest Turkey, so that:

1.        Where the  principal metal product  is gold/silver,  TCAM's
royalty entitlement from the Tavsan Project will be a 1% Net  Smelter
Return on the first 100,000  ounces (gold equivalent) of  production,
rising to 1.5% Net  Smelter Return on the  next 100,000 ounces  (gold
equivalent) of  production  and  a  2%  Net  Smelter  Return  on  any
production thereafter; and

2.        Where the principal  metal product are  metals or  minerals
other than gold/silver, TCAM's royalty  entitlement will be a 2%  Net
Smelter Return.

Contacts:


+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Ariana Resources plc             | Tel: [phone] |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Michael Spriggs, Chairman        |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Kerim Sener, Managing Director   |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
|                                  |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Beaumont Cornish Limited         | Tel: [phone] |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Roland Cornish                   |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
|                                  |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Bankside Consultants             | Tel: [phone] |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Michael Padley / Louise Davis    |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
|                                  |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Loeb Aron & Company Limited      | Tel: [phone] |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Peter Freeman / Frank Lucas      |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
|                                  |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| City Capital Corporation Limited | Tel: [phone] |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
| Charles Dampney                  |                    |
|----------------------------------+--------------------|
|                                  |                    |
+-------------------------------------------------------+





Editors' note:

About Ariana Resources

Ariana is a  dynamic exploration and  development company focused  on
epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold deposits in Turkey.
The Company is exploring a portfolio of prospective licences selected
on the basis of its advanced in-house remote-sensing database.

The Company's  flagship asset  is the  Sindirgi Gold  Project,  which
targets a series of prospects, within a prolific mineralised district
in western  Turkey.   The  project  hosts over  45km  of  gold-silver
bearing epithermal quartz  veins.   This project  is presently  being
advanced through a scoping study  to define options for its  economic
development.

Loeb Aron & Company Limited and City Capital Corporation Limited  are
joint brokers  to the  Company 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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