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Re:   News Releases - Tuesday, September 09, 2008
      Atna Accelerates Briggs Gold Mine Re-Start
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 9, 2008                    
   
Golden, CO -- Atna Resources Ltd. ("Atna") -- (TSX:ATN) is pleased to
announce that it has signed a construction contract for the leach pad
expansion at  the Briggs gold mine in Inyo County, California. The
leach pad expansion is planned to be completed early in the first
quarter of 2009 when ore crushing and pad loading will commence. Gold
production is projected to begin by the end of the first quarter of
2009, at an annualized production rate of approximately 30,000 ounces
per year. Cash cost of production is estimated at $494 per ounce and
full cash costs, including capital, at $623 per ounce. Approximately
$9.2 million of capital will be required to complete the project.

"Proceeds from the recent $20 million royalty sale will allow Atna to
pursue key strategic objectives. Our first priorities are production
and cash flow from Briggs beginning in first quarter 2009 and we are
targeting completion of permitting at the Reward gold project to allow
a possible mine start-up before the end of 2009," said David Watkins,
Atna's Chairman and CEO.

Atna began work to re-start gold production at Briggs shortly after
consummation of the merger with Canyon Resources.  Key milestones and
activities leading to production include:

.. A leach pad construction contract, valued at $3.8 million, was
awarded to Guinn Construction Company of Bakersfield, California, to
construct the initial expansion of 1.0 million square feet. Golder
Associates of Lakewood, Colorado, will oversee construction quality
control on the project.
.. Site management positions have been filled, including a General
Manager, Process Manager, Mine Manager, and Manager of Environmental
Health and Safety. 
.. Recruitment of operating, maintenance and supervisory personnel is
underway.
.. A mine optimization study is nearing completion with the goal of
bringing underground resource into open pit designs to reduce unit
costs, increase reserves, and to extend the life of the project.
.. Refurbishment of existing mining equipment is complete and ready to
support construction and mining activities.
.. Additional required mining equipment has been located and purchase
orders are being issued.
.. Pre-strip operations are planned to commence in the fourth quarter
2008.
.. Process plant and solution ponds have now been cleaned and repairs
have either been made or are underway.
.. The crushing plant refurbishment has commenced and orders for long
lead time repair and replacement items have been placed.

The previously reported NI 43-101 compliant Technical Report in May
2008 estimated that the Briggs Mine had a proven and probable reserve
of 151,000 ounces of gold grading 0.034 ounce per ton gold.
Additionally, Briggs contains an estimated 532,500 ounces of measured
and indicated resource grading 0.027 oz/ton gold and an inferred
resource of 314,000 ounces grading 0.044 ounce per ton gold. This
Technical Report was completed using a $500 per ounce gold price. The
updated optimization study, which uses a higher gold price outlook and
additional drillhole information, is expected to increase these
reserves. 

 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 possible improvements to the outcome of an ongoing
optimization study, and the Company's plans to restart mining
operations at the Briggs Mine based on technical reports compliant with
Canadian NI 43-101.  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; the possibility that the
Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental
clearances necessary to carry out the Company's mine development plans
that will prevent it from restarting mining operations at the Briggs
Mine; 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 Form 20-F dated March 25,
2008.

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 COO - (303) 278-8464
Valerie Kimball, Investor Relations - toll free (877) 692-8182
www.atna.com

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Copyright (c) 2008 ATNA RESOURCES LTD. (TSE:ATN)  All rights reserved.
For more information visit our website at http://www.atna.com/ or send
mailto:info@atna.com
Message sent on Tue Sep 9, 2008 at 6:19:01 AM Pacific Time
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