Licence Portfolio Increase

Ariana Resources PLC
11 October 2006

11 October 2006

AIM: AAU

                   LICENCE PORTFOLIO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED

                          HIGH PRIORITY TARGETS STAKED


Ariana Resources plc ('Ariana' or 'the Company'), the gold exploration company
focused exclusively on Turkey, announces a significant expansion to its
exploration portfolio following the completion of a systematic remote-sensing
programme.


   •45 new licences granted covering 698km2 across western and eastern Turkey

   •Numerous high interest potential gold and porphyry copper-gold style
    targets staked

   •Exploration portfolio enlarged to 106 licences covering 1,755km2


The Company's generative exploration programme targets the discovery of world
class bulk-tonnage high-sulphidation style (gold and copper-gold) and vein
hosted low-sulphidation style (gold and gold-silver) deposits. At least 120
further targets have been defined from the latest programme which integrated
significant satellite-borne data (ASTER) with data in the Company's proprietary
in-house GIS platform. Forty five new exploration licences totalling 698km2 have
been secured across the highest priority targets occurring in free ground in
western Turkey (14 licences), central Turkey (14 licences) and eastern Turkey
(17 licences). Ariana's portfolio has subsequently increased to 106 licences
covering 1,755km2.


New targets generated for follow-up exploration include:


   •4km x 5km anomaly in volcanic rocks in an under-explored region

   •6km x 2km anomaly in complex geology similar to that found in Nevada, USA

   •2km x 2km anomaly in the centre of a large volcanic complex

   •Portions of a 16km long anomaly in volcanic rocks

   •2km long anomaly at the contact between volcanic and metamorphosed rocks


Steven Poulton, Chief Executive, commented:

'Ariana is making excellent progress towards its strategy of defining a pipeline
of exciting projects for resource definition in Turkey. This recent programme
has secured an additional 45 licences across numerous and potentially
significant large targets.


'Meanwhile, we continue to make strong progress at our existing projects. In
western Turkey drilling is underway with two rigs active at the Company's
Sindirgi gold project that hosts over 45km of gold-silver bearing epithermal
veins and exploration is on going at the Demirci gold project.'



Contacts:

Ariana Resources plc
Steven Poulton, Chief Executive                                        Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]@arianaresources.com             Mobile: [phone]

Bankside Consultants
Michael Padley / Susan Scott                                           Tel: [phone]


About Ariana Resources

Ariana is a well funded technology-driven exploration company focused on the
discovery of epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold deposits with
multi-million ounce potential within the Tethyan metallogenic belt of Turkey.
The Company has a portfolio of prospective licences covering 1,755km2, selected
on the basis of its advanced in-house remote sensing database. Ariana's broker
is Ambrian Partners Limited and Beaumont Cornish Limited is the Company's
nominated adviser. For further information on Ariana you are invited to visit
the Company's website at www.arianaresources.com.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange