AIM: MARL

27 July 2015

Suite 102, 3 Eden Street

North Sydney, NSW 2060

Australia

Hot Maden, Turkey: Gold Copper Zone Expands and

RungePincockMinarco Engaged for Maiden Mineral Resource Estimation

Mariana Resources Ltd ("Mariana" or the "Company") (AIM:MARL) is pleased to report further high grade gold‐copper (Au‐Cu) intercepts from the ongoing drill program at the Hot Maden Project, eastern Turkey (Figure 1). Assays have now been received for drill holes HTD‐15 through HTD‐17 (Figure 2) confirming continuity and further increasing the size and confidence in the Au‐Cu mineralised zone including the high grade core.

Highlights:

HTD‐15: 117.3m @ 13.9 g/t Au + 2.0% Cu from 216.0m downhole

Including 22m @ 46.2 g/t Au + 3.1% Cu (306.0m - 328.0m) (Figure 4)

HTD‐16: 100.7m @ 2.3 g/t Au + 1.8% Cu from 332.3m downhole

Including 14.7m @ 7.7 g/t Au + 2.0% Cu (333.3m - 348.0m) (Figure 5)

HTD‐17: 83m @ 13.4 g/t Au + 3.9% Cu from 51.3m downhole

Including 16.0m @ 34.5 g/t Au + 2.2% Cu (98.0 - 114.0m) (Figure 3)

HTD‐18: (Assays Pending) Hole HTD‐18 was drilled as the "step back" to HTD‐15 and intersected the main mineralised zone over 93m from 313m downhole (figure 4)

The significant Au‐Cu intercept from hole HTD‐15 confirms the vertical continuity of the mineralised zone previously intersected in HTD‐10, and similarly, the results from drill hole HTD‐16 extend the Au‐Cu mineralization previously intersected in holes HTD‐5 and HTD‐13 a further 50m down dip. Massive sulphide mineralisation was also intersected in HTD‐17, the scissor hole to our original discovery hole HTD‐04, and confirms a minimum true width of at least 50m for the main mineralized zone.
Based on the overall excellent results at Hot Maden to date Mariana has independently engaged RungePincockMinarco ("RPM"), a global leader in mining advisory and consulting services, to commence work on the preparation of a National Instrument 43‐101 ("NI 43‐101") compliant mineral resource estimate for the Hot Maden gold‐copper project. RPM's will carry out an initial data validation phase and site visit, before progressing on to the mineral resource estimation phase. The mineral resource estimate for Hot Maden is expected to be completed by early Q4, 2015.
Chief Executive Officer Glen Parsons today commented:
"Our confidence in Hot Maden and the mineralised Au‐Cu body has rapidly reached a critical stage for Mariana as drilling continues to deliver exceptional results.
"Based on the overall confidence in the quality of all results to date, and specifically the continuity of mineralisation and grade, we have appointed the resource specialists RungePincockMinarco to initiate an independent resource estimate. This report will provide an independent assessment of what Hot Maden has delivered to date and will certainly be able to assist in quantifying and underpinning a market related valuation for Mariana's stake in the project.
"In line with Mariana's disciplined portfolio strategy and following initial exploration work on Rurimarac in Peru, we have taken the decision to terminate the option with Tinka Resources Limited over the properties.
"Hot Maden has progressed significantly up Mariana's delivery curve and continues to do so with around 4,000m drilled to date in this 10,000m program. I look forward to updating the market on the further anticipated drilling at Hot Maden, as well as the resource estimate in due course."
Links to Figures: http://marianaresources.com/site/media/July_27_NR_Maps.pdf
Please see link for audio interview with Glen Parsons, CEO:
http://brrmedia.co.uk/event/139720?popup=true

Drill Holes Completed (Assays Pending)

 Drill hole HTD‐18 (Figures 2 & 4) is the "step back" hole to HTD‐15, and was successful in intersecting the main mineralised zone (pyrite + chalcopyrite in brecciated andesites and quartz veinlets) between 271m and 406m downhole. However, the greatest sulphide content and jasperoid + hematite alteration in HTD‐18 is observed over 93m between 313m and 406m downhole. The mineralised zone in HTD‐18 is interpreted to represent the down‐ dip continuation of the Au‐Cu mineralised zone in HTD‐15.

Drill Holes in Progress

The drilling of diamond drill holes HTD‐19 and HTD‐20 is currently in progress.
 Drill hole HTD‐19 (Figure 2) is a scout drill hole which was collared approximately 320m S of the southernmost cross section (4,542,100N, and which contains drill holes HTD‐11 and HTD‐
12). This hole was designed to commence exploring for large scale extensions to the broadly N‐S trending Au‐Cu mineralised zone at Hot Maden. Currently, HTD‐19 is at a downhole depth of 354m and has successfully intersected: i) spotty Cu +/‐ Zn mineralisation in the upper portions of the drill hole ii) three silicified/veinlet zones (203m‐221m, 245m‐250m, and 266m‐283m) with Cu +/‐ Zn‐Pb mineralisation and iii) three semi‐massive sulphide zones (297.6m‐305m, 309m‐322.3m, and 332m‐337m) with Cu‐Zn‐Pb mineralisation.
 Drill hole HTD‐20 (Figures 2) was designed to test the northern, near‐surface extension of the massive sulphide mineralisation intersected in both holes HTD‐04 and ‐17. HTD‐20 has passed through a mixed "slag" / void zone between 15m and 25m followed by a zone of faulting, with the hole ultimately being lost in a fault zone at 54.5m.

Table 1: Summary of significant intercepts in drill holes HTD‐15, HTD‐16, and HTD‐17

Hot Maden Definitive Agreement

Aegean Metals Group Inc. signed a Definitive Agreement with Lidya Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. ("Lidya") on 24 June 2014, through which Lidya retains the exclusive right to earn‐in to a 70% interest in the Hot Maden Project by incurring a total of USD 2.5 million of combined exploration expenditures and USD 0.5 million cash payments within a 48 month period. Prior to the commencement of the Phase II drill program, Lidya had invested approximately USD 700,000 on exploration at Hot Maden.

Quality Control and Assurance

Mineralised intervals presented in Table 1 are drill intersection widths and may not represent true widths of mineralisation. Drill core obtained from the diamond drill program was dominantly HQ‐ sized core with the remainder being PQ‐sized core. All drill core was photographed and quick logged prior to sampling. Standard sampling protocol involved the halving of all drill core and sampling over generally 1 m intervals (in clearly mineralised sections) or 2 m intervals (elsewhere), with one half of the core being placed in a sealed sample bag and dispatched to the analytical laboratory for analysis.
Samples from the Phase II drill program are being analysed at ALS Laboratories' facility in Izmir, western Turkey. All samples are analysed for gold using a 30g Fire Assay with AAS finish, in addition to a 32 element ICP‐AES analysis of an aqua regia digest. Samples in which ICP analyses returned greater than the maximum detection limit for the elements Ag (10 ppm), Cu (10,000 ppm), Fe (15%), Pb (10,000 ppm), and Zn (10,000 ppm) were reanalysed using the AAS analytical technique. Standards and blanks were inserted in to the analytical sequence on the basis of one standard for every 20 samples, 2 blanks in every batch, and one duplicate every 40 samples.

Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE)

No HSE incidents have been reported during the current diamond drill program.

Hot Maden drill holes - technical data

Technical data relating to the Hot Maden drill holes are given in the following table:

Peru Update

Mariana has terminated the option agreement with Tinka Resources Limited ("Tinka") (TSXV:TK) over the Rurimarac Properties which are located 4km to the west of Mariana's recently drilled and strongly mineralised copper‐gold Soledad project.

**ENDS**

Qualified Person

The information in this release has been reviewed by Eric Roth, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Mariana Resources. Mr Roth holds a Ph.D. in Economic Geology from the University of Western Australia, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), and is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG). Mr Roth has 25 years of experience in international minerals exploration and mining project evaluation.

For further information please visit website at www.marianaresources.com or contact the following. In Australia:

About Mariana Resources

Mariana Resources Ltd is an AIM quoted exploration and development company with an extensive portfolio of gold, silver and copper projects in South America and Turkey. In Peru, Mariana holds options to earn up to 70% interests in the highly prospective Soledad Cu‐Au‐Ag and Rurimarac Au‐Ag prospects in Central Peru. In Suriname, Mariana has an option to earn up to a 50.01% interest in Nassau Gold Limited, a JV company between Mariana and Sumin Resources Limited ("Sumin") which in turn holds an option to earn up to 80% of the Nassau Gold Project. The Nassau Gold Project is a 28,000 Ha exploration concession located approximately

125 km SE of the capital Paramaribo and immediately adjacent to Newmont Mining's 4.2Moz Au Merian project. In southern Argentina, the Company's core gold‐silver projects are Las Calandrias (100%), Sierra Blanca (100%), Los Cisnes (100%), Bozal (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. On January 16, 2015, Mariana completed the acquisition of TSX.V‐listed Aegean Metals Group Inc. ("Aegean"), which holds 100% interests in the Hot Maden Au‐Cu and Ergama Au‐Ag prospects in Turkey. Hot Maden is currently being advanced by Lidya our Turkish JV partner earning 70%. In addition, Mariana also acquired 100% interests in the Doña Ines Au‐Ag and Exploradora East Cu prospects in northern Chile through the Aegean transaction with Mariana exploration being funded by Asset Chile by providing $1.65m for a total 50% interest.

About Lidya Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.

Lidya is a metal mining exploration company that has been operating in Turkey since 2009. Lidya is part of the Ҫalik Group, one of Turkey's largest private conglomerates with activities in the areas of mining, energy, finance, construction, textiles, telecom and media. Lidya established a strategic partnership with Canadian TSX listed mining company Alacer Gold Corp in August 2009. This was the first major international partnership in the Turkish mining sector with the primary goal of discovering and developing new gold and copper mines throughout Turkey. Alacer and Lidya are 80:20 Joint Venture partners at the Ҫöpler Gold Mine in central‐ eastern Turkey, which produced 227,000 ounces of gold during 2014 at all‐in cash costs of USD 695/oz.

Safe Harbour

This press release contains certain statements which may be deemed to be forward‐looking statements. These forward‐looking statements are made as at the date of this press release and include, without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, the realization, cost, timing and extent of mineral resource estimates, estimated future exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, and requirements for additional capital. The words "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimate", "forecasts", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "may", "will", or similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward‐looking statements. Forward‐looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by such forward‐ looking statements, including, but not limited to: the effects of general economic conditions; the price of gold, silver and copper; misjudgements in the course of preparing forward‐looking statements; risks associated with international operations; the need for additional financing; risks inherent in exploration results; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters; currency and commodity price fluctuations; title matters; environmental liability claims; unanticipated operational risks; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities; political risk; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's annual financial statements for the most recently completed financial year which is available on the Company's website at www.marianaresources.com . Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward‐ looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward‐looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward‐looking statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward‐looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward‐looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.