Significant Increase in Chunya Resource

SHANTA GOLD LIMITED ("Shanta Gold" or the "Company") SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CHUNYA RESOURCE 5 May 2011 Shanta Gold is pleased to announce a significant increase in the mineral resource estimate at its Chunya Project in Tanzania. The global in situ resource estimate has increased by 45.9% to 1.234 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 1.46g/t gold from the resources announced on 17 April 2009. These resources are to be exploited in mining the Company's New Luika Gold Mine ("NLGM"), which is currently under construction. The robustness of this mine is supported by the 52.5% increase in the indicated category of resources to 545000 ounces. The updated resource statement has been compiled by the Company's independent resource consultants, GeoLogix Mineral Resource Consultants (Pty) Ltd, in conjunction with Sphynx Consulting cc, following a successful exploration and infill drilling programme based focussed and detailed surface mapping and trenching.  The RC drilling programme of 140 holes totalled 10,000 metres.. Ore resources are now contained within 9 (previously 5) distinct mineralised bodies, all located within a 3.5km radius from the proposed processing plant. The identification of additional well-mineralised strike extensions to the Company's priority targets, namely the Luika and Bauhinia Creek Prospects, resulted in significant potential to increase mine output early in the life of mine. The Luika resource has increased from 219,583 ounces to 353,943 ounces (61%) at a grade of 3.69g/t (up from 3.54g/t), and the Bauhinia Creek resource has increased from 86,054 ounces to 297,710 ounces (345%) at a grade of 4.46g/t (up from 2.86g/t). The increased resource and grade from these two key ore bodies presents a significant opportunity to increase the short-term mine production plan at the NLGM, with an anticipated improvement in the project financial figures. A revised mining plan that integrates the latest estimate is in preparation. CHUNYA MINERAL RESOURCE TOTAL INDICATED ALL TARGETS +---------+--------------------------------- | | | Indicated Resource | | +------------+----------+--------+---------+ | Cut Off | Tonnes | Au (g/t) | Kg's | Ounces | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 0 | 10,586,750 | 1.6 | 16,956 | 545,141 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 0.5 | 6,887,607 | 2.32 | 15,967 | 513,352 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 1 | 4,526,591 | 3.15 | 14,263 | 458,563 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 1.5 | 3,162,594 | 3.99 | 12,607 | 405,337 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 2 | 2,383,164 | 4.73 | 11,273 | 362,445 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ TOTAL INFERRED ALL TARGETS +---------+--------------------------------- | | | Inferred Resource | | +------------+----------+--------+---------+ | Cut Off | Tonnes | Au (g/t) | Kg's | Ounces | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 0 | 15,762,339 | 1.36 | 21,419 | 688,626 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 0.5 | 10,755,682 | 1.85 | 19,900 | 639,808 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 1 | 5,185,962 | 3.09 | 16,037 | 515,590 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 1.5 | 3,804,744 | 3.77 | 14,331 | 460,763 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ | 2 | 2,771,730 | 4.53 | 12,547 | 403,382 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+---------+ TOTAL RESOURCE ALL TARGETS +---------+--------------------------------- | | | Total Resource | | +------------+----------+--------+-----------+ | Cut Off | Tonnes | Au (g/t) | Kg's | Ounces | +---------+------------+----------+--------+-----------+ | 0 | 26,349,089 | 1.46 | 38,374 | 1,233,767 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+-----------+ | 0.5 | 17,643,289 | 2.03 | 35,867 | 1,153,161 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+-----------+ | 1 | 9,712,553 | 3.12 | 30,300 | 974,153 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+-----------+ | 1.5 | 6,967,338 | 3.87 | 26,939 | 866,100 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+-----------+ | 2 | 5,154,894 | 4.62 | 23,820 | 765,827 | +---------+------------+----------+--------+-----------+ The independent resource estimate report is compliant with the Australasian Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code, 2004 Edition) and describes the mineral resource estimation on the project. The latest resource model for Bauhinia Creek are to be provided to EPMC (Pty) Ltd, the Company's feasibility study consultants and project manager of the NLGM project. Remodelling and optimisation of the open pit design will lead to a revised financial model for the project. Further in-fill drilling has been completed on Luika and Bauhinia Creek in preparation for detailed mine planning and has commenced on the other ore bodies. This drilling has provided improved definition and detail of high grade ore blocks within these ore bodies, identified during the recently completed drilling. It is envisaged that infill definition drilling during the year at other mineralised prospects will also facilitate improved delineation of economically exploitable resources.  The Company is considering the implementation of limited deeper diamond drilling to be commissioned later in 2011 - this to further increase the economically exploitable resource base. Walton Imrie, Executive Chairman, commented: "I congratulate our dedicated geological team for their careful target selection and successful drilling providing these outstanding results.  These results will boost the already robust New Luika Mine plan and financials and provides further justification for the throughput increases that were incorporated at the detail design stage of the mine infrastructure. "These results come at an opportune time as we progress with the build of the NLGM, where stripping of the overburden at Bauhinia Creek open pit has commenced. We look forward to receiving and releasing the revised financial model for NLGM which is expected to reflect a significant improvement driven by the increased resources available for the new mine." Note: Shanta Gold Limited is a Tanzanian focussed gold explorer and mine developer. It currently has defined ore resources on the Chunya, Singida and Mgusu projects and holds exploration licences over a number of additional properties. The New Luika Gold Mine on the Chunya project is currently under construction and is anticipated to produce gold in the final quarter of 2011 The Company is admitted to trading on AIM and has approximately 180 million shares in issue. Qualified Persons: David Briggs who is a member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), a Recognised Overseas Professional Organisation ('ROPO') included in a list promulgated by the ASX from time to time. Mr Briggs is a director of Geologix MRC (Pty) Ltd and is an independent consultant to Shanta Gold. Mr Briggs has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Briggs consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. Awie Pretorius is a member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), a Recognised Overseas Professional Organisation ('ROPO') included in a list promulgated by the ASX from time to time. Mr Pretorius is the owner of Sphynx Consulting cc and is an independent consultant to Shanta Gold. Mr Pretorius has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Pretorius consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. For further information: Shanta Gold Limited http://www.shantagold.com Walton Imrie Mobile: +27 (0) 82 444 2851 Walter Vorwerk Mobile: +27 (0) 83 308 0080 David Scott Mobile: + 255 (0) 784 366146 Gareth Taylor Mobile: +255(0)757732484( ) Fairfax I.S. PLC Ewan Leggat/Laura Littley +44 (0) 20 7598 5368 Information on Mineral Resource Estimation: * * * * 3D Block Modelling - a  computer-based representation of a  geological body, or mine  excavation, created  from a  series of  interconnected outlines of the body being modelled. 0.5 g/t Cut-off - implies all values above 0.5 g/t are taken into account. Cut-off - the value  of  an ore  variable  below which  material  is classified as waste. Down dip -  direction perpendicular to the strike of a body. JORC - The Joint Ore Reserves Committee -  The Australasian Code  for Reporting of Mineral Resources and  Ore Reserves (the 'JORC Code'  or 'the Code'), which sets out minimum  standards, recommendations  and guidelines for  Public Reporting  of  exploration  results,  Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves in Australasia. Measured Resource - an in-situ mineral resource calculated with a high confidence level to which economic parameters have not been applied.  Aslo that part of a mineral resource where the data used for inspection, sampling and measurement is of sufficient quality and density such that the geological character, continuity, grade and nature are sufficiently well understood to define the location and characteristics of mineralisation with a high degree of confidence. Indicated Resource - an in-situ mineral resource calculated with a moderate confidence level to which economic parameters have not been applied. Inferred Resource - an in-situ mineral resource calculated with a low confidence level to which economic parameters cannot be applied. Lognormal Probability Plot - this is a plot that plots the data with one axis using a logarithmic scale. The lognormal distribution of data is one of the most frequently used distributions in analyzing data. The lognormal distribution is one wherein the natural logarithms of the data form a normal distribution as depicted on a lognormal plot. Reverse Circulation (RC) Drilling - a variation of the rotary drilling method in which the cuttings are pumped up and out of the drill pipe, an advantage in certain large diameter holes. Univariate Statistics - univariate analysis is a statistical method that explores each variable in a data set, separately. It looks at the range of values, as well as the central tendency of the values. It describes the pattern of response to the variable. It describes each variable on its own. Variography - is a statistical method in which a semivariogram plot is used to evaluate the spatial continuity and correlation of a variable in space within the deposit. This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Shanta Gold Limited via Thomson Reuters ONE [HUG#1512561]
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