BRITISH, COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/03/12 -- Mariana Resources Ltd (TSX:MRY)(AIM:MARL) ('Mariana' or 'the Company').

On 31 August 2012, 1,006,000 options held by employees under the Company's Employee Share Option Plan and by providers of services to the Company expired.

At 1 September 2012 the following 12,686,500 options which each entitle the holder to apply for one ordinary share in the company are outstanding:

Employee options                           
------------------                         
                                           
Option Series            Number Outstanding
-------------------------------------------
                                           
15P 30/10/2012                       10,000
20P 30/10/2012                       10,000
25P 30/10/2012                       10,000
6P 31/10/2012                        35,000
6P 30/06/2013                       432,000
20P 31/5/2013                       300,000
20P 31/1/2014                     1,370,000
30P 31/7/2014                     2,165,000
12P 1/2/2015                      1,170,000
12P 31/1/2016                       650,000
                  -------------------------
Total                             6,153,000
                  -------------------------
                                           
Directors' options                         
------------------                         
                                           
Option Series            Number Outstanding
-------------------------------------------
                                           
6P 30/06/2013                       266,000
20P 31/1/2014                     1,050,000
30P 31/7/2014                     1,500,000
60P 1/2/2015                      1,100,000
12P 31/1/2016                       750,000
16P 31/1/2016                       750,000
20P 31/1/2016                       750,000
                  -------------------------
Total                             6,166,000
                  -------------------------
Other options                              
------------------                         
                                           
Option Series            Number Outstanding
-------------------------------------------
                                           
20P 31/1/2014                       137,500
30P 31/7/2014                        50,000
12P 1/2/2015                        180,000
                  -------------------------
Total                               367,500
                  -------------------------

For further information please visit website at www.marianaresources.com.

About Mariana Resources

Mariana Resources Ltd is an AIM and TSX quoted exploration and development company with an extensive portfolio of gold, silver and copper projects in Argentina and Chile. In southern Argentina, the Company's core gold-silver projects are Las Calandrias (100%), Sierra Blanca (100%), Los Amigos JV (49%) and Aguila-Picadero (100%). These projects are part of a 200,000+ Ha land package in the Deseado Massif epithermal gold-silver district in mining-friendly Santa Cruz Province. In Chile, Mariana has a joint venture with US based international mining and natural resources company Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., to explore for iron oxide-copper-gold deposits in a 92,000 km2 area in north-central Chile along the highly prospective Atacama Fault Zone. Mariana is also evaluating a number of gold-silver and copper-gold opportunities away from the Cliffs JV area.

On 19 December 2011, Mariana announced that AngloGold had completed a strategic placement whereby AngloGold was issued 45,000,000 shares in Mariana at a price of 12 pence per share. AngloGold has the right to maintain its equity of 19.9% in Mariana in further issues by Mariana.

Incorporated in Guernsey registered number 44276.

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