Expands Portfolio

Horizonte Minerals PLC 29 January 2007 Horizonte Minerals plc / Index: AIM / Epic: HMZ / Sector: Mining 29 January 2007 Horizonte Minerals plc ('Horizonte' or 'the Company') Expands exploration portfolio with acquisition of 4,660 hectare Crixas nickel-copper project Horizonte Minerals plc, the AIM listed exploration and development company focused on Brazil and Peru, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded mineral rights totalling 4,660 hectare on the prospective Achaean aged Crixas greenstone belt. Field work within the project area, developed as part of Horizonte's generative exploration programme, led to the definition of multiple nickel-copper (Ni - Cu) anomalies. The Company subsequently applied and has been awarded the mineral rights (100% owned) to three contiguous exploration licences covering 4,660 hectares on the tightly held Archean aged Crixas greenstone belt. The three areas cover the northern extension of the belt and are associated with the Corrego Alagadinho basal mafic to ultramfic sequences, which are associated with gold and nickel deposits in the region. The Anglogold/Kinross, Mina Serra Grande (Crixas) goldmine is located just 12 km to the southeast. This mine produces approx. 200.000 ounces/year at an average grade of 7g/t. Horizonte has completed a first pass regional stream sediment sampling programme covering 49 first order drainage basins within the project area, which defined five anomalous target areas. The results show strong Ni-Cu anomalies and mafic/ ultramafic signatures in several catchments. The Judas Tadeu anomaly is by far the strongest on the project and the highest order Ni-Cu stream sediment anomaly generated by Horizonte in Brazil to date. Several lower-order Ni-Cu anomalies were also defined. The Company will now commence follow-up work aimed at testing the potential for a sulphide nickel deposit. Rock samples are currently at the laboratory for analysis and regional aero geophysical data has been purchased with interpretation underway. Horizonte CEO Jeremy Martin said, 'We are excited that we have been able to gain a position in this prospective greenstone belt, which is an area we have been developing over the last six months. The first pass stream sediment sampling programme has defined several highly anomalous drainages, which will undergo rapid follow up. We believe that any quality sulphide nickel targets will be of great interest to the Major producers already operating in this area.' Sampling, assaying, and QA/QC Procedures adopted by Horizonte in the collection, preparation and storage of samples from the auger drilling programme, conform to industry-wide best practice and with chain of custody being observed for all samples. Analysis is undertaken by ALS Labs at its laboratories in Vancouver, Canada, and the Company maintains QA/QC on all analytical work via the inclusion of certified reference materials and field duplicates and blanks, in addition to monitoring of the laboratory's own internal check-analyses. The above information has been reviewed and verified by Mr. Jeremy Martin, a Director and Chief Executive of Horizonte, for the purposes of the Guidance Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies issued by the London Stock Exchange in March 2006. Mr. Martin, with six years of mining and management experience, graduated with a degree in geology from the Camborne School of Mines, and an MSc in mineral exploration from the University of Leicester and is a member in good standing with the Society of Economic Geologists and the Institute of Mining Analysts. * * ENDS * * For further information visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact: Jeremy Martin/David Hall Horizonte Minerals plc Tel: 020 7495 5446 David Paxton Hichens Harrison Tel: 020 7382 7785 Hugo de Salis St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: 020 7242 4477 John Frain/Fergal Meegan Davy Tel: +353 1 679 6363 Notes to Editors: Horizonte Minerals Plc is an AIM listed mineral resources exploration group focused on the discovery, appraisal and development of gold and base metal deposits in Brazil and Peru. The Company has two gold exploration projects in Brazil, and one silver-zinc-lead project in Peru. The two Brazilian gold projects, Tangara and Falcao, are located to the south of the highly prospective Carajas Mineral Province. Both projects cover an area of approximately 300 sq km and are centred over greenstone belts, with known gold mineralisation. The scale of these project areas, the overall aerial extent of the mineralised system and the high density and magnitude of related gold anomalies (identified in river sediments, surface soils and rocks), indicate the potential for multiple deposit discoveries. The silver-zinc-lead project is located in the historic mining district of Cerro de Pasco in Central Peru. Sampling and limited historic drilling on this project has demonstrated the high grade potential of this project. The Company has a joint venture with Australian gold producer Troy Resources NL's 70% owned local subsidiary Sertao Mineracao Ltda to advance its Goias Velho gold exploration project in Brazil. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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