Release: Oropa granted exploration extension for Pungkut gold project

(15 January 2009)--Oropa Limited is pleased to announce that the Indonesian government has granted Oropa?s 75% owned advanced Pungkut gold project an extension of the time available for exploration until 6 October 2009. A further exploration extension is possible at the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources? discretion; otherwise the project will advance to the feasibility stage of the Contract of Work (?CoW?).

The Pungkut gold project, situated in North Sumatra, is held by PT Sorikmas Mining (?Sorikmas?) under a seventh generation CoW with the Indonesian Government. The extension of the Sorikmas CoW exploration period has been granted by Decree Letter number 471 .K/30/DJB/2008 issued by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and is valid from 7 October 2008 until 6 October 2009.

The shareholders of PT Sorikmas Mining are 75% Aberfoyle Pungkut Investments Pte. Ltd. (100% owned by Oropa), and PT Antam Tbk. Oropa manages the project and is responsible for contributing towards 100% of the exploration and development funding by way of loans to Sorikmas until commencement of production.

During this extension period, Oropa plans to advance the Sihayo and Sambung prospects (where Inferred Resources presently contain 1m ounces of gold), towards full feasibility studies. (end of release)