2009-05-06 12:26 ET - News Release

Mr. Rene Bharti reports

AVION DECLARES COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IN MALI AND INITIATES STUDY TO DOUBLE PRODUCTION TO 200,000 OZ/YR

Avion Resources Corp. has reached "commercial production" at its Segala and Tabakoto gold project in Malias as of May 1, 2009.

Avion commenced production on Feb. 17, 2009, as planned. Between Feb. 17 and April 30, the company has:

• Started the crusher and mill, which is now operating at 1,800 tonnes per day, and is ramping up to the budgeted rate of 2,200 tonnes per day;
• Started the Segala pit with surface waste stripping and processing of ore-grade stockpiled "orpeilleur" or artisanal miner workings, and is processing oxide ore from the pit;
• Dramatically lowered operating costs to almost half of budgeted costs by processing the stockpiled ore while developing the Segala pit;
• Reached the fresh ore zone horizon at Segala, and continuous ore feed of this material is being delivered at a rate of 2,200 tonnes per day;
• Signed an earth-moving contract with a Malian Contractor SFTP, and looks forward to building a long relationship in developing capacity in Mali.

John Begeman, the president and chief executive officer of Avion, stated: "We previously targeted commencing commercial production by July 1, 2009. Avion restarted the crusher, mill and gold-recovery plant in mid-February as planned, and has realized steady, uninterrupted production at average daily rates of 1,800 tonnes (planned maintenance and mechanical availability included) per day for 2-1/2 months. Avion has achieved a sustainable commercial production rate two months ahead of schedule."

Avion expects total produced gold for 2009 to be 66,000 ounces at a cash cost of $509 (U.S.) per ounce. Through March 31, 2009, Avion has produced 6,211 ounces of gold, which is more than 1,000 ounces ahead of plan at a cash cost of $423 (U.S.) per ounce.

Mill availability has averaged 96.9 per cent and overall gold recovery has averaged 91.7 per cent on a year-to-date basis.

          PRODUCTION SUMMARY AS OF MARCH 31, 2009
          
                                  Actual             Budget

Tonnes milled                     76,024             73,200
Gold produced (oz)                 6,211              5,198

Avion plans to expand production

Avion is currently evaluating the possibility of increasing production throughput by adding plant capacity to its site infrastructure in Mali. Changes to the site infrastructure may include the possible addition of crushing and grinding equipment and related gold recovery capacity. Engineering studies will begin shortly. The goal of the studies will be to evaluate the ability to:

• Establish a mine capacity run rate of 100,000 ounces per year by 2010, and;
• -Quantify a schedule of equipment required and a mine plan to produce the annual equivalent of 200,000 ounces per year in 2011.