Belo Sun Reports Positive Results from Ongoing Metallurgical Testwork Program at Volta Grande

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire - Oct. 20, 2011) - Belo Sun Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BSX) (the "Company" or "Belo Sun") is pleased to announce positive results from feasibility-level metallurgical test work program at its 100%-owned Volta Grande Gold Project located in Para State, Brazil. The test work program was focused on the diorite gold-bearing material of the Grota Seca and Ouro Verde deposits which make up the Volta Grande Project and was a comprehensive metallurgical study in support of the Bankable Feasibility Study that is currently underway by AMEC Minproc Engenharia e Consultoria.


Highlights from the metallurgical test program include:

- The ore responds well to conventional processing techniques such as milling, gravity concentration and cyanidation.

- A significant fraction of the gold is coarse and can be easily recovered by gravity concentration. For the Grota Seca deposit, 62.4% of the gold was recovered in the gravity concentrate, while for the Ouro Verde deposit, 68.5% of the gold was recovered in the gravity concentrate.

- Intensive cyanide leaching of gravity concentrates achieved 95.6% gold recovery for the Grota Seca deposit and 97.7% recovery for the Ouro Verde deposit.

- Direct cyanidation of the ore achieved gold recoveries ranging from 90.4% to 96.5% for the Ouro Verde deposit and ranging from 92.6% to 95.3% for the Grota Seca deposit. All samples demonstrated rapid leach characteristics, reaching the above results in about 20 hours.

- A comprehensive crushing and grinding test campaign was carried out and showed that the ore is competent and can be ground using conventional SAG-Ball Milling circuit, or a combination of three stages crushing with High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) followed by ball milling.

Omar Antunes, Metallurgy Manager for the Volta Grande Project, commented, "These metallurgical results are showing excellent gold recoveries for our planned processing plant and are indicating that a simple while robust and straightforward low cost process route can be developed to support Bankable Feasibility Study underway by AMEC Minproc Engenharia e Consultoria in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. We are extremely pleased to be able to report such excellent bench-scale gold recoveries for both deposits. Results will be analyzed by AMEC Minproc Engenharia e Consultoria for use in the design criteria for the future metallurgical plant."

Samples used for the test work were selected from drill core samples as well as rock samples collected from mine shafts located on the property which represent the current resource's average grade; the samples selected also cover and represent the main mineral domains. To view core sample locations, please see Figure 1 below.

The comminution and cyanidation test results reported in this news release were performed by HDA Serviços S/S Ltda at the laboratories of São Paulo University, Brazil. The test work was directly conducted by Professor Dr. Homero Delboni Jr. and Bianca Foggiatto, Mining Engineer, M.E. (USP). Dr. Delboni is a Mining and Minerals Processing Eng., M.E., Ph.D. and is also a Qualified Person under NI-43-101.

Diagnostic Leaching test work was performed by Testwork Desenvolvimento de Processos Ltda and GLS Consultores Associados Ltda, under the coordination of Mr. Walter de Moura, Metallurgist, M.Sc., AusIMM.

Gravity recovery test work was performed by Minetec Brazil Ltda. Test work was conducted by Mr. Nelson Freire and Mr. Pablo Cejas, under the coordination of Mr. Diego Mielke.

The test results reported have been reviewed by Omar Antunes, Metallurgy Manager for the Volta Grande Project.

Joseph Milbourne, FAusIMM, an independent consultant to the Company and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this release.


About the Company

Belo Sun Mining Corp. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company with a portfolio of properties focused on gold in Brazil. Belo Sun's primary focus is on advancing and expanding its 100% owned Volta Grande Gold Project, located in Para State. Belo Sun trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "BSX". For more information about Belo Sun please visit www.belosun.com.


Cautionary Statement on Forward Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the impact of these metallurgical results on the Company and its understanding of the project; statements with respect to the development potential and timetable of the project; the estimation of mineral resources; realization of mineral resource estimates; the timing and amount of estimated future exploration; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; currency exchange rates; government regulation of mining operations; and environmental risks. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.belosun.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view Figure 1, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Bel_Core.pdf

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.



Contact Information

elo Sun Mining Corp.
Mark Eaton
President and CEO
(416) 309-2137

Belo Sun Mining Corp.
Darcie Ladd
Investor Relations
(416) 861-5938
info@belosun.com
www.belosun.com