Release: Oropa: Pungkut gold project - Positive supreme court ruling

(20 April 2009)--Oropa Limited (?Oropa?) has, on 17th April 2009, been advised by its Indonesian legal counsel, Hadiputranto, Hadinoto & Partners, that the Indonesian Supreme Court has ruled favorably on PT Sorikmas Mining?s (?PTSM?) October 2004 petition for Judicial Review of Minister of Forestry Decree No. 126-Menhut-II/2004 dated 29 April 2004 on a National Park, which partially overlaps the western area of its Pungkut Contract of Work (?CoW?) in Sumatra, Indonesia.

In its decision, the Supreme Court nullified the Minister of Forestry?s Decree on the overlapping area. Based on this decision, there is no longer an overlap between PTSM?s 66,200 Ha Pungkut CoW area and the National Park.

Oropa has been advised that there is no further appeal that parties can make against this decision and therefore this Supreme Court Decision is final and binding.

This outcome removes uncertainty about the future accessibility of prospective areas in the western half of the Pungkut CoW that have been quarantined by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources pending resolution of the overlap issue. It also confirms the strong legal status attached to a Parliamentary-approved 7th Generation CoW that Pungkut is, and provides confidence in the Indonesian legal system.

It should be emphasised that this in no way impacts on the Sihayo-Sambung resource area which has always been located outside the previously proposed National Park boundary.

Oropa intends to consider the implications, in terms of exploration opportunities that arise from this decision, especially in view of the results of pre-2004 exploration from a number of sites within that ?quarantined area? that suggest potential for world class porphyry copper+/- gold+/- molybdenum deposits. This additional dimension to Pungkut potential will be followed up by Oropa through broadened exploration activities in the next year, while maintaining focus on the pre-feasibility work related to the 1 million ounce Sihayo-Sambung gold project. (end of release)