Prospecting Licence Awarded

RNS Number:7181U
Mano River Resources Inc
28 January 2004


                            MANO RIVER RESOURCES INC.

                                  NEWS RELEASE
28 January 2004
No: 2004/2
TSX-Venture Exchange (Trading Symbol: MNO)
London Stock Exchange - AIM (Trading Symbol: MANA)

            MANO AWARDED EXTENSIVE REGIONAL LICENCE IN SIERRA LEONE

   *One year exclusive 9,700km2 regional prospecting licence granted in
    Sierra Leone

   *In talks with potential JV partner for diamond exploration over the new
    licence

Mano River Resources Inc. ("Mano" or "the Company") announces that it has been
awarded a 9,700 square kilometre Regional Exclusive Prospecting Licence (REPL)
by the Ministry of Natural Resources of Sierra Leone. The Licence covers the
south eastern quadrant of the country and is underlain by the ancient Archaean
Man Craton, which is highly prospective for diamonds, gold and base metals.

The new REPL extends from the world-renowned Kono Diamond Fields, where the
Company holds two Exclusive Prospecting Licences totalling 206km2 
(www.manoriver.com/mano/projects/diamonds_sl_kono.shtml) around the town of
Koidu, to the border with Liberia where, in the west of that country, Mano
discovered the first ever known diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes, now under
Joint Venture with Trans Hex Group of South Africa (see www.manoriver.com/mano/
investor/nr/nr0214_18jun.pdf). At the end of the initial one year period, a
minimum of 50% of the REPL area is to be relinquished and tenure conditions for
the ground retained revert to those of a standard Exclusive Prospecting Licence.

Following the grant of this REPL, Mano is engaged in on-going discussions with a
potential partner with a view to arranging for their Joint Venture participation
in the planned diamond exploration programme, to include an airborne geophysical
survey.

On the subject of the award of the REPL, Mano's CEO, Dr. Tom Elder comments,

"The award of such an extensive exclusive licence area over such highly
prospective, under-explored, diamond-bearing terrain is a significant milestone
towards Mano fulfilling its objective of discovering and developing economic
diamond-bearing kimberlites in Sierra Leone".

About Mano

Mano is focused on the discovery of world-class gold and diamond deposits in the
Archaean terrain of the highly prospective, under-explored, West African Mano
River Union countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. The Company has close
to one million ounces of gold in estimated resources, a cluster of
diamondiferous kimberlites and a number of highly attractive early stage diamond
and gold targets in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Management has a strong
technical background, a thorough knowledge of the political and economic
structures of West Africa and a successful track record. With increasing market
recognition of the recent positive evolution in the regional political and
economic landscape, Mano is starting to capitalise on its position as a leading
gold and diamond explorer in the sub-region.

On behalf of the Board of Mano River Resources Inc.

Tom Elder
President and CEO

For further information on Mano River Resources and its exploration programme,
you are invited to visit the Company's website at www.manoriver.com or contact
one of the following:

    Tom Elder              President and CEO            UK [phone]
    Guy Pas                Chairman                 Switzerland [phone]
    Anthony Rhatigan       Vice-Chairman            Mobile [phone]
    Raz Hussein            Controller                  Canada [phone]
    Dru Edmonstone         Seymour Pierce               UK [phone]
    Gary Middleton         Capital PR                   UK [phone]

 The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not take responsibility for
                    the adequacy or accuracy of this release




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