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Dia Bras Expands Gold Mineralization At The La Cascada High-Sulfidation Gold Prospect At The Bolivar Property

17:58 EDT Tuesday, March 23, 2010

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - March 23, 2010) - Dia Bras Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE:DIB) is pleased to report the results of continued, detailed sampling and mapping plus X-Ray diffraction studies at the La Cascada high-sulfidation gold prospect of its Bolivar property in Chihuahua State, Mexico. La Cascada is located only 2.5 km south of Dia Bras' support and maintenance facilities at its Cieneguita camp. Although gold mineralization in the area has been known by local prospectors, the extensive area of alteration related to the La Cascada prospect is not recorded on any geologic maps of the region.

"La Cascada is becoming an important project to us," stated Daniel Tellechea, President and CEO, "because continued work has demonstrated that the intensely altered and silicified portions of the area that contain elevated gold values is more extensive than previously thought. This presents a strong possibility that this area could host an important and open-pitable gold deposit. We are aggressively pursuing exploration in this area with the objective of drilling it soon."

Table 1 below shows selected results from samples collected from the more altered rocks at La Cascada. Complete results are given in the accompanying map (http://www.diabras.com/en/newscenter/2010/cascada_sampling.pdf) that shows selected sample locations and alteration patterns (http://www.diabras.com/en/newscenter/2010/cascada_table.pdf).

Table 1: Selected Samples from La Cascada Prospect, Bolivar Property

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Sample    Width m          Type     Au g/t     As ppm     Cu ppm
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710024        3.0     Rock chip        0.7        827        220
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710028        1.0     Rock chip        0.7        231        334
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710039        0.1       Channel        0.6         42         13
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710052        1.0       Channel        0.4         14        271
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710053        1,5     Rock chip        1.7         32        651
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710054        1.5     Rock chip        0.8         28        808
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710059        0.8     Rock chip        0.4        212        261
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710060        0.4     Rock chip        1.4         65        124
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710061        1.0     Rock chip        3.0        346        147
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757411        5.6       Channel        0.4        105        358
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757413        2.0       Channel        2.1        696        500
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757414        2.1       Channel        0.4         43        294
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757419        0.8       Channel        0.6        113        407
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757424        1.4       Channel        0.5        148        291
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757434        3.8       Channel        0.5         73        302
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757454        2.0       Channel        1.1        105         40
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757456        4.0       Channel        0.5         17         64
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757478        2.9       Channel        0.5         81        398
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The zone of high-sulfidation gold mineralization is characterized by an extensive zone of strong, advanced argillic alteration of the host andesite extending at least 6 km2 that contains areas of silicification, and the zone is open in several directions. The silicified zones are structurally controlled and occur as concentric zones of silicification expressed by an outer zone of granular silica replacement of andesite, an intermediate zone where silicification has destroyed feldspars and original textures, and a core zone of vuggy silica where all original features of the host rock have been destroyed.

X-ray diffraction analysis conducted by the Servicio Geologico Mexicano's Chihuahua office confirms the presence of hydrothermal clays, the most important of which is pyrophyllite, a clay mineral associated with higher temperature zones in a high-sulfidation gold system. The report may be viewed on Dia Bras' website (http://www.diabras.com/en/newscenter/2010/xrd_report.pdf). In La Cascada, it occurs in outcrops of vuggy silica and advanced argillic alteration.

The La Cascada mineralization has characteristics similar to several multi-million ounce high-sulfidation gold deposits, such as the gold association with structurally controlled vuggy silica zones, the style of alteration zonation, association with copper and arsenic, presence of pyrophyllite, etc. La Cascada is notably similar to the El Sauzal deposit, which is located less than 20 km to the southeast and is on the same regional, NNW-trending major structural zone.

The relationship of gold content and alteration has been confirmed by assay results from the various alteration zones present at La Cascada. The Company's geologists have collected over 61 channel and chip samples within the La Cascada prospect, with the following results:

1.  Only samples collected from zones of silicification and veining exceed
    1.0 g/t Au and range up to 15.8 g/t (see press release of January 25,
    2010). To date, 16 samples have been collected from silicified and
    brecciated zones that returned more than 1 g/t Au. 
2.  Samples collected from zones of strong advanced argillic alteration with
    granular silica texture return grades ranging from 0.2-1.0 g/t Au. 
3.  Samples collected from zones of moderately-developed advanced argillic
    alteration return grades of 0.1-0.2 g/t Au. 
4.  Samples collected from zones of weak argillic alteration return grades
    of less than 0.1 g/t Au. 

Mapping and interpretation by the Corporation's geologists have resulted in a conceptual interpretation of structural and alteration patterns at La Cascada. The attached section (http://www.diabras.com/en/newscenter/2010/sidra_section.pdf) illustrates their interpretation that the highest-grade zones of silicification and vuggy silica are covered by a thin veneer of rock of advanced argillic alteration, which if correct indicates the potential for open-pitable mineralization. In preparation for drilling La Cascada, the company will conduct an induced polarization/resistivity survey in the near future to determine the locations of high resistivity (strongly silicified) and chargeability (sulfide-bearing) anomalies.

Method of analysis

Samples were prepared at the ALS Chemex lab facility in Chihuahua, Mexico, and analyzed by ICP and AA methods at their facilities in Vancouver, Canada. Diamond drill samples sent for analysis consisted of half NQ-size and BQ-size diamond core split on site, prepared by the ALS Chemex sample preparation laboratory in Chihuahua, Mexico, and assayed for Au by 50 g fire assay with AA finish, and for Ag by AA on 50 g split sample at the ALS Chemex North Vancouver Laboratory. Assays for Pb, Zn and Cu are done by Induction Coupled Plasma (ICP