BRITISH, COLUMBIA — (Marketwire) — 09/03/12 — Mariana Resources Ltd (TSX: MRY)(AIM: MARL) (-Mariana- or -the Company-).

On 31 August 2012, 1,006,000 options held by employees under the Company-s Employee Share Option Plan and by providers of services to the Company expired.

At 1 September 2012 the following 12,686,500 options which each entitle the holder to apply for one ordinary share in the company are outstanding:

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About Mariana Resources

Mariana Resources Ltd is an AIM and TSX quoted exploration and development company with an extensive portfolio of gold, silver and copper projects in Argentina and Chile. In southern Argentina, the Company-s core gold-silver projects are Las Calandrias (100%), Sierra Blanca (100%), Los Amigos JV (49%) and Aguila-Picadero (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. In Chile, Mariana has a joint venture with US based international mining and natural resources company Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., to explore for iron oxide-copper-gold deposits in a 92,000 km2 area in north-central Chile along the highly prospective Atacama Fault Zone. Mariana is also evaluating a number of gold-silver and copper-gold opportunities away from the Cliffs JV area.

On 19 December 2011, Mariana announced that AngloGold had completed a strategic placement whereby AngloGold was issued 45,000,000 shares in Mariana at a price of 12 pence per share. AngloGold has the right to maintain its equity of 19.9% in Mariana in further issues by Mariana.

Incorporated in Guernsey registered number 44276.

NEITHER THE TSX NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE

Contacts:
In Australia:
Mariana Resources Ltd
John Horsburgh
Chairman
+61 2 94374588

Mariana Resources Ltd
Glen Parsons
CFO
+612 94374588

RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad)
Rob Adamson
+61 2 9250 0041

RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad)
Will Souter
+61 2 9250 0050

In U.K.
Fox Davies Capital (Co UK Broker)
Jonathan Evans
+44 20 3463 5000

St Brides Media and Finance Ltd (PR)
Felicity Edwards
+44 20 7236 1177

RFC Ambrian Limited (Co UK Broker)
Klara Kaczmarek
+44 20 7634 4725

In Canada:
Mariana Resources Ltd (Vancouver Office)
Kathryn Witter
+1 604 669 9336