Southern Arc Provides Drilling Results from Bising Target, West Lombok Project

Southern Arc Minerals (TSX VENTURE:SA)(OTCQX:SOACF) ("Southern Arc" or "the
Company") is pleased to provide drilling results from the Bising target in the
Mencanggah prospect on Southern Arc's West Lombok property. 




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On December 13, 2012, Southern Arc announced plans to commence drilling at West
Lombok, with a near-term exploration focus on epithermal gold-bearing structural
breccias in the Mencanggah prospect. Southern Arc mobilized three drill rigs to
the Bising target and initiated a Phase 2 drill program, developed in
consultation with SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. ("SRK"), to infill and expand the
zones of mineralization adjacent to wide mineralized intercepts identified with
Phase 1 drilling (Figure 1 and Table 2, refer to Southern Arc news release dated
February 16, 2012). Southern Arc has now completed 11 Phase 2 holes at Bising
(1,375.6 metres) as summarized in Table 1 and Figure 1. These results have been
delivered to SRK for inclusion in a National Instrument 43-101 compliant
resource estimate for the property, targeted for completion by mid-2013.


Highlight Phase 2 drilling intercepts include: 



MCG041  66.8 m @ 0.66 g/t gold and 2.4 g/t silver from 20.0 m               
        including 22.9 m @ 1.16 g/t gold and 2.7 g/t silver from 22.0 m     
                                                                            
MCG042  53.2 m @ 1.04 g/t gold and 1.4 g/t silver from 16.0 m               
        including 1.0 m @ 9.67 g/t gold and 0.8 g/t silver from 32.2 m      
        and 0.30 m @ 10.2 g/t gold and 61.3 g/t silver from 46.3 m          
                                                                            
MCG043  42.4 m @ 0.51 g/t gold and 1.1 g/t silver from 20.7 m               
        including 10.1 m @ 1.0 g/t gold and 1.9 g/t silver from 39.0 m      
                                                                            
MCG044  58.15 m @ 0.61 g/t gold from 87.85 m                                
        including 11.0 m @ 1.3 g/t gold from 104.6 m                        
        and 7.5 m @ 1.1 g/t gold from 123.0 m                               



"We are encouraged that wide intervals averaging greater than 1 g/t gold
mineralization have been intersected in a large proportion of the diamond drill
holes in the Bising target," said Dr. Mike Andrews, President and Chief
Operating Officer of Southern Arc. "These results continue to demonstrate the
consistency and width of mineralization at Bising." 


The extensive width (up to 66 metres width in surface outcrop) of the main
Bising epithermal body is inferred to result from the intersection of geological
structures: a major west-northwest trending fault intersected by several
north-northwest trending faults, the latter of which form the dominant gold
mineralized trend in the West Lombok district. Drill holes in Phase 1
exploration were located at 100 m drill spacings to test the main Bising
epithermal structural body, its extensions, and intersections with the several
crossing faults. 


With this initial program of Phase 2 exploration complete at Bising the rigs
were mobilized to the Tibu Serai target in the Mencanggah prospect. Surface
channel samples at the Tibu Serai target have returned the highest-grade
mineralization on the property to date. Southern Arc has completed seven drill
holes (1,124.2 metres) targeting down-dip extensions from elevated rock-chip
gold geochemistry in multiple veins that exhibit low silver-to-gold ratios. 


Once all assay results are received, Southern Arc's exploration team and Board
of Directors will review results from Bising and Tibu Serai and determine the
Company's next steps to advance the West Lombok project. 


To view Figure 1, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/sa228-Fig1.pdf


To view Table 1, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/sa228-Table1.pdf


To view Table 2, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/sa228-Table2.pdf


On behalf of the Board of Southern Arc Minerals Inc. 

John Proust, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

About Southern Arc 

Southern Arc Minerals Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on
gold and copper-gold exploration. The Company's key exploration property is its
West Lombok project, with several gold-rich copper porphyry and epithermal gold
vein prospects. Southern Arc is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the
symbol SA and on the OTCQX International under the symbol SOACF. More
information is available at www.southernarcminerals.com or by emailing
[e-mail]. 


Qualified Person 

The technical information in this document has been reviewed by Southern Arc's
Chief Geologist, Andrew Rowe, B. App. Sc. Geology, MAusIMM. Mr. Rowe has over 20
years of international mineral exploration experience throughout Southeast and
Central Asia and Australia. During this time he has held such positions as
Principal Geologist - Feasibility Studies, Senior Geologist and Consulting
Geologist. The technical information in this document has also been reviewed by
Southern Arc's President & Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Mike Andrews, PhD,
FAusIMM, who has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralization
under consideration and qualifies as a Qualified Person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101. 


The drill program and sampling protocol is managed by Southern Arc under the
supervision of Andrew Rowe. The diamond drill holes are drilled at PQ, HQ and NQ
sizes depending on hole depth and core recovery to date has averaged better than
98.0%. Half core is cut by rock saw and is generally sampled using nominal
1-metre intervals; however, sample intervals are varied according to geological
contacts and have ranged between 0.2 to 2.5 metres in length. Three quality
control samples (one blank and two standards) are inserted into each batch of 40
samples. The half core samples are securely transported from the project site to
the Intertek Testing Services ("ITS") sample preparation laboratory in Sumbawa
Besar via private truck hired by Southern Arc. Sample pulps are then sent to the
ITS Jakarta laboratory by ITS. Gold is analysed by fire assay with AAS finish
and a four-acid digestion with ICP-MS finish is used to analyse a full suite of
elements including silver and base metals. ITS is one of the world's largest
product and commodity testing, inspection and certification organizations. The
Jakarta laboratory is ISO 17025 accredited and employs a Laboratory Information
Management System for sample tracking, quality control and reporting. 


Forward-looking Statements 

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or
anticipated future events and operations, timing of projects and anticipated
results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to
certain risks and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business
conditions, the regulatory process and actions, the need to obtain permits, the
need to work with local communities and authorities to advance the properties,
technical issues, new legislation, competitive and general economic factors and
conditions, the uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in
plans, the occurrence of unexpected events, and the Company's ability to execute
and implement future plans. Actual results achieved may vary from the
information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and
uncertainties and other factors. There is no representation by the Company that
actual results achieved during the forecast period will be the same in whole or
in part as that forecast.  


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 
Southern Arc Minerals Inc.
Rhylin Bailie
Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations
North American toll-free: 1-855-676-5241
[e-mail]
www.southernarcminerals.com