Candente Copper Corp.: Canariaco Norte Status Update

Candente Copper Corp. (TSX:DNT)(PINKSHEETS:CCOXF)(LMA:DNT) ("Candente Copper"
and/or the "Company") wishes to provide an update on the status of the Canariaco
Norte project.


Community Status and Activity

The Company has been in direct communication with all relevant government
authorities regarding the illegal activities that occurred last week and has
their full support. Police have been assigned to the area to provide security
for local residents and to assist in limiting illegal activities. Following the
peaceful resolution of the temporary road blockage and detainment of several
AMEC employees on December 4th, 2012, an additional protest took place on
December 6th in the area of the Canariaco Norte camp. Limited fire damage to
forest and a few small buildings was incurred but there are no reports of any
serious bodily harm to anyone. 


Candente Copper wants to highlight that the Company's Community Relations and
Sustainable Projects teams of 10 personnel who spend an average of 20 days a
month in the field, living in rented communal households within the communities
of Magampampa in the high zone, Canaris, in the middle zone and Huacapampa in
the low zone, for the last year and a half, have excellent relations with
community members.


Candente Copper's mandate is to ensure the safety of our employees, consultants
and community members and to continue promoting dialogue and due process within
the law at all levels as we continue the development of the Canariaco Norte
project. The National Dialogue Office of the Presidency of the Council of
Ministers "PCM" has agreed to manage a constructive dialogue between
representatives of the various stakeholders in the Canariaco Project to ensure
that the exploration phase of the project moves forward in a transparent and
inclusive manner. One of the main items to discuss will be the sustainable
development projects underway and the committees required to manage the 1.5
million soles committed by the Company (in the surface access agreement - see
below) for projects over the next three years. 


The Company also wishes to advise that there have been a number of reports in
the digital and National media that are entirely inaccurate and misleading, with
some reports including photos of protests from other areas and events in Peru,
and head counts of the protestors changing and inconsistent across sources and
news articles.


Project Site Activities

In June of this year Candente Copper started ramping up site activities and
local employment levels at Canariaco Norte after concluding an agreement with
local community leaders on May 6, 2012 (see DNT NR 036 dated June 22, 2012).
Employment of local personnel was increased further after the July 8th, 2012
Community vote (see DNT NR 037 dated July 9, 2012) whereby the Company was
granted a three year agreement for surface access for exploration drilling.
Current employment at the Canariaco Norte project site totals approximately 150
people primarily from local hamlets working on a number of site activities in
preparation for drilling. Activities include upgrading the site access road,
improvements to the camp and reforestation. Candente Copper also has 10
specialists and support personnel of various professional backgrounds working
within the Community of San Juan de Canaris on Sustainable Development Programs
and Community Relations. As part of Candente Copper's field activities, company
offices have been established in three of the larger and more central hamlets
within the District of San Juan Bautista de Canaris. AMEC Peru SA ("AMEC")
personnel have been active in the project area and surrounding region conducting
baseline flora, fauna, hydrology and social campaigns throughout the area as
part of the comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment required for project
development. Until the December 4th road blockage, all activities in the
community and project areas had been conducted without incident. The Company
believes that to this point our general acceptance in the area is due in large
part to our ongoing commitment to community engagement and development. 


About Candente Copper

Candente Copper's flagship project is the 100% owned, 7.5 billion pound,
Feasibility stage Canariaco Norte Copper Project located in northern Peru's
prolific mining district. The Canariaco Norte deposit contains a Measured and
Indicated resource of 752.4 million tonnes grading 0.49% copper equivalent, and
an Inferred Resource of 157.7 million tonnes at 0.44% copper equivalent.


Sean Waller, P.Eng., President and Joanne C. Freeze, P.Geo., CEO, are the
Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for the projects
discussed above. They have reviewed and approved the contents of this release. 


This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not
limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs,
geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral
recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and
conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual
results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such
statements. Candente relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking
statements.


CAUTIONARY NOTE TO U.S. INVESTORS

We advise U.S. investors that this news release uses terms that are not
recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"),
including "mineral resources", "measured resources", "indicated resources" and
"inferred resources". The estimation of measured and indicated resources
involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than
the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not
to assume that mineral resources in these categories will be converted to
reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty
as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other
categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that
estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically mineable, or
will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. U.S. investors
are cautioned not to assume that mineral resources in any of these categories
will be converted into reserves.


On behalf of the Board of Candente Copper Corp. 

Joanne C. Freeze, P.Geo., CEO, Director & Chair

NR-042

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 
Candente Copper Corp.
Walter Spagnuolo
Manager, Investor Relations
mobile: [phone]
local: + 1 [phone] ext 3
[e-mail]


Candente Copper Corp.
Nataly Reategui
Investor Relations, Peru
[phone] ext 107
[e-mail]
www.candentecopper.com