Rio Alto Mining Limited Announces Officer Appointments

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/23/12 -- Rio Alto Mining Limited ('Rio Alto' or the 'Company') (TSX VENTURE: RIO) (OTCQX: RIOAF) (LMA: RIO) (DBFrankfurt: MS2) is pleased to announce that Alex Black will now serve as the Company's Chief Executive Officer in addition to his continuing role as President and that Victor Gobitz will serve as the Company's Chief Operating Officer commencing February 1, 2012. Mr. Black and Mr. Gobitz also serve as directors of the Company.

Mr. Gobitz is an experienced mining engineer with extensive experience in the start up and expansion of mining projects. Prior to his appointment as the Company's Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Gobitz was the CEO of Corporacion Minera Castrovirreyna until June 2011. Castrovirreyna is a Peruvian company devoted to the exploration, development, treatment and commercialization of minerals such as silver, gold, lead and zinc.

Mr. Gobitz joined the Rio Alto Board of Directors in March 2011 and currently sits on the Board of Directors of two other public mining companies listed on the Bolsa de Valores de Lima, Volcan Compania Minera and Castrovirreyna Compania Minera. Mr. Gobitz received his professional education at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru from 1981 to 1986 and obtained a Masters degree in Business Administration from Escuela de Administracion de Negocios - ESAN in 1998. Mr. Gobitz is also a Director of the Peruvian Mining Safety Institute - ISEM and Member of the Board of the Peruvian Corps of Engineers, Chapter of Mining Engineers - CIP.

Mr. Gobitz has been granted a total of 200,000 options exercisable at $3.75 for a period of five years pursuant to the Company's stock option plan in connection with his appointment as Chief Operating Officer.

To learn more about Rio Alto Mining Limited, please visit: www.rioaltomining.com or Rio Alto's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.


ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF RIO ALTO MINING LIMITED

Alex Black
President & CEO



Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts the responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



Contacts:

Rio Alto Mining Limited
Alex Black, President & CEO
+51 1 625 9900 or +51 99279 4655
alexb@rioaltomining.com

Rio Alto Mining Limited
Alejandra Gomez, Investor Relations
+1 604 628 1401
+1 866 393 4493 (FAX)
alejandrag@rioaltomining.com
www.rioaltomining.com