Oropa reports preliminary drilling results at Sihayo gold prospects

Preliminary diamond drill results from drilling at Sihayo-1 and Sihayo-2 North prospects, Pungkut gold project

Sidney, 21 November 2003 -- Diamond drilling at the pungkut gold project in Central Sumatra, Indonesia, recommenced on 21 Oct 2003 and is continuing. To date, three holes have been completed (total meterage 359.6m) with a fourth hole currently in progress and nearing completion.

As previously announced, the majority of drillholes planned during this current program (28 holes for 3100m) are designed to increase the inferred gold resource already outlined at the Sihayo-1 North prospect. While moving the drill rig north from where it was previously located at the Sambung prospect, two holes of the current program were drilled at the Sihayo-1 prospect, located some 600m south of Sihayo-1 North.

The Sihayo-1 prospect is a perceived offset extension of Sihayo-1 North with a postulated shear zone occuring between the two prospects. No drilling has previously been undertaken at Sihayo-1, but earlier outcrop sampling indicated the presence of mineralised jasperoid breccia material similar to that which has been encountered at Sihayo-1 North. Two holes (SHDD024 and SHDD025), were drilled at Sihayo-1 some 200m apart and both holes intersected mineralised jasperoid horizons at relatively shallow depths. These encouraging results will require further follow up drilling at this area after more comprehensive geologic mapping and surface sampling program are completed. The results obtained from these initial two drillholes suggest that Sihayo-1 is a potential southern extension to the Sihayo-1 North resource.

After completing the two holes at Sihayo-1, drillhole SHDD026 collared near to the known southern extremity of the Sihayo-1 North resource was drilled on section 55200E (grid). This hole was designed to extend the Sihayo-1 North resource further to the south of the mineralised zones previously intersected in this general area. It should be noted that Oropa's drillholes are being collared at relatively wide 100m line spacings and 100m apart. A highly mineralised jasperoid breccia zone was intersected in SHDD026 from 98.3m to 107.7m (9.4m @ 7.52 g/t Au). SHDD026 and current drillhole SHDD027 also located on section 55200E some 100m to the south of SHDD026 comprise part of a drill program that will test this higher grade mineralization at the southern extension of Sihayo-1 North.

Oropa will continue drilling in this southern portion of Sihayo-1 North where higher grade gold mineralization (>7.00 g/t Au) has now been encountered in two holes (SHDD022 and SHDD026), both located on section 55200E. (End of release)

Source: OROPA Limited.

Editor's note: Oropa acquired 75 percent interest in Pungkut gold project late last year. State miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk. holds the balance. Some 70 km north of Pungkut is Newmont's large Martabe gold project, located on the west coast of North Sumatra and which currently hosts an inferred gold resource of approximately 2.2 million ounces.