Vancouver, BC - June 1, 2009 - Aurizon Mines Ltd. (TSX: ARZ; NYSE Amex: AZK) is pleased to provide a progress report on exploration activities at its Casa Berardi mine property, in north-western Quebec.
In the first quarter underground exploration was centered on the development of an exploration drift at the 810 metre level, east of Zone 113 and south of the Casa Berardi fault. The exploration drift will provide drill access to test the depth extension of Zone 113 and to test the continuity and extension of Zones 118 to 122 and 123-South.
To date, 1,091 metres of drifting has been completed, providing drill access 500 metres east of the production shaft. Drilling performed in the vicinity of Zone 113 has confirmed the previous geological interpretation of the Zone and has extended the favourable gold trend 100 metres deeper.
To date, nineteen (19) underground holes totalling 5,695 metres have been comple ted. The best results reported are as follows:
Geology
At Casa Berardi, mineralization is generally closely associated along a 30 to 50 metre wide gold trend, hosting multiple quartz veins and disseminated gold rich sulphide ore bodies, such as Zones 113, NW and Lower Inter, which are currently included in mineral reserves. This gold trend was previously identified down to 850 metres from prior underground drilling.
The current program has extended the trend down to the 950 metre level intersecting two mineralized intervals along drill holes. Mineralization did not intersect a large quartz vein similar to Zone 113, but intersected quartz veins, stockworks and disseminated sulphide lo cated along the Casa Berardi Fault (CBF) and also along splays of the fault (S) developed along the contacts of sediments and volcanics and sediments and conglomerates. Results of all drill holes are provided in detailed tables attached to this news release.
Outlook
Since the recommencement of mining operations at Casa Berardi, the first priority was to confirm the viability of existing mineral reserves, followed by renewing mineral reserves depleted by production and upgrading inferred mineral resources to the indicated category.
The 2009 exploration program has been increased in order to test targets outside of the contours of the current mineral resources.
The new underground and surface drilling program, which will explore along the west extension of the Lower Inter zone, along the Principal Zone and along the dip extension of the East Mine with the objective of increasing the inferred and indicated mineral resources, will commence in the coming months. Five (5) rigs will be active on the program. Two drill rigs are currently active along the 810 metre level, with a third rig to be added when development of the drift is completed.
A total of 40,000 metres of underground and surface drilling and 1,900 metres of underground exploration access drifting at the 810 metre level and south of the Lower Inter Zone should be completed this year.
Quality Control
Core assays are performed on core sawed in half, with standard fire assay procedures and atomic absorption finish. Certified reference material, duplicate and blanks are inserted in the sample sequence for quality control. Assay checking on pulp and coarse reject are carried out on approximately 10% of samples. Additional information on Quality Assurance and Quality control ("QA/QC"), can be found in the 'Technical Report on the Casa Berardi Mine", dated February 9, 2009, which can be found under Aurizon's profile on www.sedar.com. Primary exploration assaying was performed at the mine site laboratory and the QA/QC program is performed at ALS Chemex lab in Val-d'Or.
Drill hole planning, implementation and the quality control program is supervised by Jeannot Boutin P.Eng., Mine geology superintendant, an appropriately qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Boutin is also responsible for the scientific and technical information in this news release.
