Canaco Acquires Copper-Gold Exploration Assets in Ethiopia

17:04 EST Thursday, January 21, 2010

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Jan. 21, 2010) - Canaco Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:CAN) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a letter of intent with Beijing Donia Resources Co. Ltd. ("Donia") to acquire 70% of the outstanding shares of Harvest Mining PLC ("Harvest"), a private Ethiopian exploration company. Harvest owns 100% interest in 605 km2 of exploration concessions in the Tigray state of Ethiopia. These concessions host several identified gold enriched, polymetallic volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") prospects.

Harvest's exploration assets (the Nefasit, Hamlo, Terakimti, Adi Nebrid, Igub and Medri Felasi concession respectively) are located in the SW extension of the Neo-Proterozoic Asmara VMS type Cu-Zn-Au-Ag metallogenic belt where several deposits have been previously discovered in central Eritrea. These discoveries include the Bisha deposit (27M tonnes grading 2.08 grams gold and 1.8% copper per tonne) and the Emba Derho, deposit (38M tonnes grading 1.08% copper, 0.18 grams gold and 9.31 grams silver per tonne - "Copper-rich primary ore").

Initial exploration results indicate there is significant potential for the discovery of similar deposits on Harvest's concessions. Since 2007, extensive exploration activities have been completed including, remote sensing, geological mapping, geochemical soil sampling, geophysical ground magnetic surveys, IP surveys and extensive trenching and drilling on selected targets.

According to reports published by Harvest, the main exploration achievements are as follows:

The Nefasit Concession Block

--  The Adi Angoda Prospect 
    --  Four intermittent sulphide zones with outcrops of surface oxides
        have been mapped with strong base metal mineralization and a strong
        co-incident IP anomaly. 
    --  Diamond drilling results for four recently completed holes indicate
        the presence of a primary sulphide copper-zinc ore body below the
        surface oxide cap. Two of these holes drilled to test the IP
        response encountered several ten meter wide zones of base metal
        mineralization, including sections of massive sulphides. Assay
        results for these holes are pending. 
    --  These results have confirmed the potential for the discovery of a
        medium-large size VMS type copper-zinc deposit in this area. 

--  The Medadib Prospect 
    --  Geological mapping has outlined a surface oxide zone which has 360
        meters of aggregate strike length and mineralization over widths of
        3 to 20 meters. Analytical results have confirmed anomalous values
        for copper and zinc. An IP survey completed in November 2009
        indicates a strong IP response co-incident with the surface oxide
        zone and is interpreted as indicating the presence of primary
        sulphides at depth. 
    --  Previous RC drilling of the surface oxide cap intersected a gold
        mineralization with an average thickness of 20m and average gold
        grade of 4.6 g/t. 

--  Several zones of sulphide mineralization have been identified within the
    felsic tuffs and at the contact of the intermediate meta-volcaniclastic
    rocks and felsic tuff at Terakimti. The sulphide mineralized zone
    measures 3.5 km along strike and 30 m to 110 m wide - locally reaching
    widths of up to 400 m. 
--  Disseminated sulphides, surface oxide zones have been identified in
    outcrop. Strong copper, zinc and lead anomalies have been confirmed
    associated with the surface oxide zones. 

--  The Mai Sensela Prospect 
    --  a surface sulphide zone anomalous in Cu and Pb has been mapped with
        over a strike length of 1,200 m and width ranging from 20 m to 100
        m. 
    --  Contained within the surface sulfide zone a surface gold oxide zone
        with a strike length of 800 m and an average width of 20 m has been
        defined through surface trenching. The average gold grade is 3 grams
        gold per tonne with peak values of 43 grams gold per tonne. IP
        surveying has detected chargeability anomalies coincident with the
        surface gold oxide mineralization and is interpreted as indicating
        the presence of primary sulphide concentrations at depth. 

--  Geological mapping has outlined seven sulphidic alteration zones locally
    with massive sulphide oxide caps. In the north of the Hamlo block, a
    sulphide zone with strike length of 2.2 km and thickness of 200 m to 300
    m has been mapped. Within this sulphide zone a massive sulphide oxide
    zone with an aggregate length of 1,200 m and thickness of 10-30 m has
    been identified. 

--  The Wuhidet Prospect 
    --  Three sulphidic zones have been identified, including one zone
        measuring 4 km long and 60 m wide. 
    --  Mapping has indicated a surface sulphide zone that measures 800 m
        along strike and 20 m wide. 
    --  Initial field work has indicated these sulphide zones are strongly
        anomalous in Cu and Zn. 
--  The Hamlo area contains a geological setting favourable for the
    discovery of Au-enriched VMS deposits. Initial exploration programs will
    include extensive trenching, ground magnetic and profile IP surveys, and
    test drilling of selected targets. 

"The acquisition of Harvest Mining PLC by Canaco is a significant event in the corporate development of the Company and is consistent with the Company's strategy of acquiring advanced exploration projects poised for discovery programs," said Andrew Smith, Canaco's CEO. "The geological potential for the discovery of gold-enriched, polymetallic VMS deposits on Harvest's properties is exceptional in the view of Canaco's technical team and in many ways this prospect mirrors the same potential identified in the Company's Handeni property in 2006."

The purchase price is C$6.0 million, payable on closing as follows: $4,000,000 in cash and issuance of an additional 3,508,771 shares to Donia at a deemed price of $0.57 per share (based on the closing price of the past 30 trading days from the date of the letter of intent plus a 5% premium).

Since 2007, Harvest has spent about USD$4.4M for the above-mentioned exploration activities on the six exploration licenses, and has established an operating capability based in Shire, Ethiopia with a strong technical team and exploration equipment and infrastructure. Canaco expects to spend a minimum of C$2 million in exploration costs on the properties in the first year.

The acquisition of Harvest by Canaco is subject to a 90 day due diligence period, and obtaining approvals from third parties, the TSX Venture Exchange and shareholders (if required).

Independent members of the Board of Canaco have considered a number of factors in determining that the consideration for the acquisition is fair and reasonable, including the amount already spent on exploration expenditures and its potential to host commercially viable copper and gold deposits.

Dr. Jingbin Wang is a Director of both Canaco and Donia. Donia is also a sister company of SinoTech (Hong Kong) Corporation Limited, a control person of Canaco. Mr. Shuixing Fu, a Director of Canaco, is also an officer of SinoTech. Dr. Wang and Mr. Fu do not directly own any shares of Canaco. SinoTech presently owns 32 million shares of Canaco, representing 27.8% of the outstanding shares of Canaco. The 3,508,771 shares to be issued by Canaco to Donia on closing of the acquisition represents 3% of Canaco's outstanding shares. The remaining 30% interest of Harvest is owned by an Ethiopian company.

Andrew Lee Smith, CEO

Dr. Jingbin Wang, Chairman

The Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions as set out above. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed as proposed or at all. The Company relies on litigation protection for "forward-looking" statements. This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to the exploration and development of its projects. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. No independent consultant has rendered an expert opinion on the property.