Atna Resources Advances Towards Merging With Canyon Resources

VANCOUVER, Jan. 23, 2008 - Atna Resources Ltd. ("Atna" - TSX: ATN) announces that its Registration Statement filed on Form F-4, which contains the joint proxy statement/prospectus relating to merging with Canyon Resources Corp. ("Canyon" - AMEX:CAU) first announced on November 19, 2007, has been declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

Canyon anticipates that it will commence mailing the proxy statement in relation to the proposed transaction on January 25, 2008 to stockholders of record as of January 18, 2008. A special meeting of the stockholders of Canyon will be held on March 6, 2008 at the Table Mountain Inn, 1310 Washington Avenue, Golden, Colorado, to vote on the proposed transaction. Atna anticipates the closing of the transaction shortly thereafter.

On November 16, 2007 Atna and Canyon entered into an agreement and plan of merger whereby Atna will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Canyon. After the transaction, Canyon will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Atna. Canyon's Board of Directors has recommended that stockholders vote to approve and adopt the agreement and plan of merger. The management and board of Atna believe that the transaction significantly benefits all the shareholders of the combined entity because:

• The merger is an important step in the growth of Atna's gold asset portfolio
  
  
• The transaction creates a multi-million ounce gold company highly leveraged to gold price.
  
  
• Near term production from Briggs and Reward will complement Pinson development
  
  
• There is strong upside potential from the combined portfolio of exploration properties
  
  
• The transaction will allow the combined entity to focus on gold in the western US
  
  
• The combined entity creates a financially strong platform for growth and an exceptional management team

Atna's Outlook

Atna is building a successful gold exploration, development and mining enterprise in the Western United States. In combination with Canyon, the company will have a diverse portfolio of assets including development ready gold projects in California and Nevada with near-term production and significant potential to increase the defined resource. In addition, the combined company will own a portfolio of early to advanced exploration projects in Nevada, California, Montana, Wyoming, Canada, and Chile. Many of these projects are joint ventured to quality partners, spreading Atna's risk and leveraging its opportunities. The combined company also will have a significant portfolio of precious metal mining royalties. The company has an experienced team and a well rounded, independent Board, committed to the success of the company. Atna will continue to grow through development of its advanced projects, exploration, and new acquisitions. The combination of Atna and Cany on will trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TSX: ATN and in the US on the Pink Sheets as ATNAF.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the timing of the special meeting of stockholders and closing of the merger that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from outcomes express or implied by this press release. Such risk factors include, among others that the matters submitted for stockholder approval at the special meeting of stockholders may not be approved. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in the Risk Factors section of the Form F-4 filed with the SEC on January 17, 2008, and from time to time in Atna's other reports filed with the SEC.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the merger between Atna and Canyon, on January 17, 2008, Atna filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4, which contains a joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF CANYON ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND THE OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ATNA, CANYON AND THE MERGER. The joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials and any other documents filed by Atna with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed by Atna with the SEC by directing a request to: Atna Resources Ltd., 510 - 510 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6C 3A8, attention: Kendra Johnston.

Canyon and Atna and their respective directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the merger. Investors and security holders may obtain detailed information regarding the direct and indirect interests of these respective executive officers and directors in the merger by reading the joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the merger.

For further information:

Atna Resources Ltd.
Kendra Johnston
Investor Relations Manager & Geologist
Tel: (604) 684-2285
kjohnston@atna.com

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