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Re:   News Releases - Wednesday, May 13, 2009
      Atna Makes First Gold Pour at Briggs Mine
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Golden, CO -- Atna Resources Ltd. ("Atna") -- (TSX:ATN) is pleased to
announce  that it has made the first pour of approximately 300 ounces
of gold in dor� at the newly re-started Briggs Mine in Inyo County,
California. Ore mining commenced at the site in January, crushing and
the loading of ore onto the leach pad started in March,  and solution
delivery to the leach pad began in April. Facility construction at the
mine is complete. The focus at the site is now to increase gold
production to a target level of 40,000 ounces per year by the end of
2009. In addition, drilling is continuing to expand the reserve
potential at the Briggs Main Deep zone within the existing permit
boundary where new reserves may enable increasing the production rate
or mine life.

"Our first gold pour is a major milestone in Atna's transition from an
exploration company to a mid-tier gold producer. We are very pleased
with the rapid re-start of the Briggs Mine. Our next step will be to
transform Atna to a mid-tier gold production company with development
of additional mines from our strong pipeline of three advanced
development projects," states James Hesketh, President & CEO. 

Atna's pipeline of gold projects includes the Reward Project, where we
are nearing permit completion.  We recently concluded a formal Joint
Venture Agreement between Barrick Gold (70 percent) and Atna (30
percent) at the Pinson Gold Project in Nevada. Barrick continues to
evaluate possibilities to develop the project.  In addition, we expect
to complete a Technical Report in the third quarter that will provide
an NI43-101 compliant resource estimate at the Columbia gold project in
Montana.  

For additional information on Atna Resources and the Briggs Project,
please visit our website at www.atna.com.

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements," as
defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, and within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation,
relating to increasing gold production and drilling results at the
Briggs Mine, successful completion of permitting for the Reward gold
project and completion of a NI 43-101 compliant resource study for
Columbia. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not
historical fact.  They are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions
of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and
they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there
can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and
actual results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to
update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs,
estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that
could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated
in these forward-looking statements include: the Company might
encounter problems such as the significant depreciation of metals
prices; accidents and other risks associated with mining exploration
and development operations; the risk that the Company will encounter
unanticipated geological factors, the Company's need for and ability to
obtain additional financing;  and the other risk factors discussed in
greater detail in the Company's various filings on SEDAR
(www.sedar.com) with Canadian securities regulators and its filings
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Company's 2008 Form 20-F dated March 31, 2009.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors --- The United States Securities and
Exchange Commission permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings
with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company
can economically and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms
in this report, such as "measured," "indicated," "inferred," and
"resources," that the SEC guidelines strictly prohibit U.S. registered
companies from including in their filings with the SEC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

James Hesketh, President and CEO - (303) 278-8464
Valerie Kimball, Investor Relations - toll free (877) 692-8182
www.atna.com

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Copyright (c) 2009 ATNA RESOURCES LTD. (TSX:ATN)  All rights reserved.
For more information visit our website at http://www.atna.com/ or send
mailto:info@atna.com
Message sent on Wed May 13, 2009 at 6:41:59 AM Pacific Time
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