Astur Gold Secures Key Surface Rights for Salave Portal and Outlines Exploration Plans

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 04/16/12 -- Astur Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: AST) (FRANKFURT: CDC) ("Astur Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has secured key surface land rights for the portal access to the planned drift at the Salave Gold Project. Specifically, 13.9 hectares of land has been leased for a period of 15 years.

"These surface rights represent a significant step in our mine development plan," commented Cary Pinkowski, President and CEO of Astur Gold. "With land for the portal secured, we will be able to proceed with the exploration decline immediately upon receipt of our permits. This will allow us to complete our final exploration program, feasibility study and eventual mine development of Salave."


Exploration Plan

The purpose of the exploration phase will be to perform underground exploration drilling, bulk sample collection for metallurgical test work, and complete a feasibility study for the project.

Astur Gold's planned exploration decline will be approximately 730 meters long, 5.0 meters wide and 5.0 meters high. The decline will commence approximately 55 meters above sea level and will be bored from surface to a point just south of the deposit at an angle of -15% to an elevation of approximately 53 meters below sea level. A 465 meter long exploration drilling level will be completed around the west side of the deposit from the bottom of the exploration decline at elevation of approximately 45 meters below sea level. The exploration level will be 4.5 meters wide by 4.5 meters high. Details are shown in Figure 1:

To view Figure 1 - Exploration Decline and Drill Location, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/782424.pdf

Brian McEwen, P. Geo., consultant to Astur Gold, is the qualified person for Salave as defined in NI 43-101 and has reviewed the contents of this news release.


ABOUT ASTUR GOLD

Astur Gold is developing its 100% owned Salave Gold Project in Asturias, northern Spain comprising 3,198 hectares. Salave is one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Western Europe. The Company submitted an application for an underground mine permit to the government of Asturias in September 2011. Astur Gold is currently conducting underground mine planning and an Environmental Impact Assessment. The Company is building a partnership with the people of Asturias to generate sustainable economic benefits for the region while balancing the needs of environmental protection and social community development.


ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Cary Pinkowski
Chief Executive Officer and Director



Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

This document contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectation implied by these forward looking statements.

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.



Contacts:

Astur Gold Corp.
Vadim Dubchak
604-694-1600
604-694-1663 (FAX)
info@asturgold.com
www.asturgold.com