Oropa Limited (ASX: ORP)

Drilling re-commences AT HUTABARGOT JULU targeting new high-grade geochemical anomalies

Highlights

?         Drilling commences at Hutabargot Julu prospect targeting southern extension of the Sarahan vein.

?         Initial focus on a large multi-element soil geochemical anomaly at the extrapolated intersection of the Sarahan and Ali veins (soil samples including 12.8g/t Au and 22g/t Au).

?         Several other soil anomalies generated from recent geochemical sampling.

Emerging gold company Oropa Limited (ASX Code: ?ORP? ? ?Oropa?) is pleased to announce that drilling has re-commenced at the Hutabargot Julu Prospect at its 75%-owned Pungkut Gold Project in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The drilling will test a number of promising new targets generated by a multi-element soil geochemical sampling program conducted at the high-grade Sarahan epithermal vein system.

Hutabargot Julu has been Oropa?s primary regional exploration target over the past nine months, with programs testing intermediate-sulphidation epithermal quartz and massive silica alteration in veins interpreted to extend over a strike length of up to 3km.

Epithermal systems often host rich gold mineralisation, as is evidenced elsewhere in Indonesia in low-sulphidation deposits at P.T. Newcrest?s Gosowong and Kencana projects on Halmahera Island, P.T. Antam Tbk?s Pongkor  mine in West Java, ARC Exploration?s Cibaliung deposit south of Pongkor and Oz Minerals? world-class 6 Moz gold high-sulphidation Martabe gold and silver deposit, located 70 km north of Pungkut.

Vein textures at Hutabargot Julu indicate that little erosion has occurred within this system, creating a suitable environment for high-grade gold mineralisation to be preserved beneath the moderately mineralised outcropping quartz veins. The length, width, orientation and continuity of veining within the prospect area indicate a very large system, with the potential to host massive gold accumulations.

Most of Oropa?s exploration to date has focused on the central Sarahan vein, where significant vein outcropping was partially tested by a number of historical Dutch adits excavated early last century. Oropa?s shallow drilling has concentrated on outlining the orientation of the vein, with all drill holes intersecting moderate gold mineralisation.

The Ali vein, located to the west of Sarahan, was discovered during this campaign with five drill holes completed in this area. The southernmost drill-hole (HUTDD018) returned a bonanza grade intercept of 5m @ 37.7 g/t Au from 47m, after the earlier drill holes had encountered patchy gold mineralisation further to the north of HUTDD018.

The program demonstrated that deeper drilling was required to adequately test the mineral potential of Hutabargot Julu.  A multi-element soil geochemical sampling program incorporating 100m line spacings and 50m sample intervals was implemented to establish the presence of strong alteration zones. Values greater than 1g/t Au and significantly higher than background (median 0.02 g/t Au) were returned, as summarised below:

Table 1: Best results Hutabargot Julu soils

These results have outlined several anomalous areas, the most prominent of which is Sarahan South, located south of the Simalagi River. Geological mapping following up on two +5 g/t Au rock outcrop samples situated within the anomaly identified massive silica alteration and veining. Interpretation of the geological mapping of this area suggests that this anomaly is coincident with the extrapolated convergence of the Sarahan and Ali veins, creating an ideal structural environment for substantial mineralisation.  

The Sarahan South +0.1 g/t Au soil anomaly extends over 150m, with maximum values of 12.8 g/t Au 22 g/t Ag being recovered. Elevated anomalous lead, silver, arsenic, antinomy and molybdenum values are indicative of a major fluid up-welling zone and a high priority target for deep mineralisation.

Diamond drilling has recently commenced at Sarahan South targeting this massive silica alteration. Vein textures indicate the existence of primary gold in the area. Initially, systematic shallow vertical drilling is planned, prior to follow up deeper angle drilling.

Soil sampling along the central Sarahan vein has identified a soil anomaly in the northern parts of the existing drilled area. A maximum value of 2.78 g/t Au was observed within a broader coherent 0.1 g/t Au geochemical anomaly, and partially offset from a lead, silver, arsenic, antinomy and molybdenum anomaly.

At the North Ali vein, high gold values in soils of 3.4 g/t and 1.17 g/t Au warrant follow up geochemical sampling and geological mapping, which may determine whether the gold is associated with primary regolith, or supergene enrichment.

The South Ali vein trending towards Sarahan South is characterised by minor anomalous gold and other element soil values, possibly indicating an increase in hydrothermal alteration. This geochemical anomaly has been prioritised for follow up drilling, taking into account the bonanza gold intersection in hole HUTDD018 to the northwest of the anomaly. A drilling program is planned for this area, subsequent to the South Sarahan shallow drilling program being completed.

Figure 1: Gold contours from Hutabargot Julu soil grid

Figure 2: Weighted multi-element Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Sb, Mo contours

Yours faithfully

OROPA LIMITED

Philip C Christie

Director

It is advised that in accordance with the Australian Stock Exchange Limited Listing Rule 5.6, the information in this report that relates to Exploration Results is based on information compiled by Mr. Dean Pluckhahn, Mr Rod Jones and Mr John Garlick who are Members of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

?                      Mr. Pluckhahn is a full time employee of Oropa Ltd?s 75% owned subsidiary company P.T. Sorikmas Mining (?Sorikmas?) and Mr. Jones is a full time employee of Sorikmas.  Mr. Pluckhahn and Mr. Jones have sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit which is under consideration and to the activity which they are undertaking to both qualify as ?Competent Persons? as defined in the 2004 Edition of the ?Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves?.  Mr.               Pluckhahn and

Mr. Jones both consent to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

All statements in this report, other than statements of historical facts that address future timings, activities, events and developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements.  Although Oropa Ltd, its subsidiaries, officers and consultants believe the expectations expressed in such forward looking statements are based on reasonable expectations, investors are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward looking statements.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward looking statements include, amongst other things commodity prices, continued availability of capital and financing, timing and receipt of environmental and other regulatory approvals, and general economic, market or business conditions.

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