Re: Major Acquisition

Ovoca Resources PLC
02 March 2005

NEWS RELEASE

March 3, 2005







OVOCA RESOURCES ANNOUNCES MAJOR ACQUISITION OF GOLD EXPLORATION COMPANY NORPLAT
LIMITED



Ovoca Resources Plc (Ovg.i Dublin : Ovg.l London),  is pleased to announce that
they have entered into a heads of agreement to acquire a 78% interest in the
share capital and an option to acquire the remaining issued share capital and
warrants of the private exploration company Norplat Limited.   Norplat has two
advanced prospects in Northern Russia with 900,000 ounces of Gold reported under
Russian standards.



The transaction, subject to due diligence and regulatory approvals, will involve
a transfer of 35,909,091 issued shares of Norplat in return for 39,500,000 Ovoca
shares. Ovoca will also have the sole option to buy the remaining shares in
Norplat within two years on a similar basis.



Norplat Limited is an exploration company, which has focused on the acquisition
and development of exploration and mining properties in the Former Soviet Union.
  It currently holds an exploration license in the Kola Peninsula of Northwest
Russia through its Russian subsidiary, Black Fox Resources, of which it has a
95% equity interest.  These projects are at an advanced stage of exploration,
which includes known gold, platinum group elements (pge), copper, molybdenum and
gold porphyry and rare earth prospects.  Recent exploration also indicates the
potential to host significant copper nickel mineralisation.  A recent
independent competent person's review on the license area reports a resource
based on historical trenching, drilling and the recent drilling programme, of
900,000 ounces of gold under Russian geological resource estimation criteria
from the two advanced prospects Oleninskoye and Nyalm. Average grade for
Oleninskoye on current resources is in excess of 13.9 grammes per tonne (g/t)
and for Nyalm of 3.7g/t open pitable.



The Norplat board includes Mr Roger Turner, Chairman, and Dr Barrie Oakes, CEO,
who will be joining the Board of Ovoca on completion of the acquisition. They
have a proven track record in the acquisition, exploration and ultimate
development of mining projects in the former Soviet Union and worldwide.  Mr.
Roger Turner is well known in the mining industry with many years experience in
setting up and running successful junior mining companies and developing mines,
of which the latest companies include Oxus and Minco.  Dr Barrie Oakes has over
35 years experience in the mining industry working in North America, Africa,
Arabia, Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Union.  He has worldwide experience in
senior management acquiring evaluating and developing precious and non-ferrous
mining projects.



The Ovoca board considers the proposed acquisition of Norplat would be an
attractive addition to its Scandinavian portfolio and should add significant
reportable mineral resources in the near future.  The Fennoscandinavian Shield
area which extends from Norway in the west through to the Kola Peninsula and
Karelia in Russia to the East is now recognised as an area of high potential for
the discovery of additional significant precious and base metal deposits. Many
western senior and junior mining companies are now actively exploring in Norway,
Sweden and Finland.  Attention is now focussing on Northwest Russia as the
logical eastern extension of the mineral trends being in the rest of
Scandinavia.  Norplat has established a presence in this area and has identified
additional prospective areas for future acquisition.



Enquiries


Richard O'Shea CEO

Ovoca Resources plc

+ 353 (87) 256 0397



John O'Connor CFO


Ovoca Resources plc

+ 353 (1) 491 2944



This announcement has been issued through the Companies Announcement Service of

                           the Irish Stock Exchange.










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