Erdene Discovers New Copper Zone at Zuun Mod Project, Mongolia Khuvyn Khar Drilling Returns 34 Metres of 1.3% Copper

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 1, 2011) - Erdene Resource Development Corp. ("Erdene") (TSX:ERD) is pleased to announce a new copper discovery on its wholly owned Zuun Mod project in south-western Mongolia. 

"We are very pleased by this new copper discovery located over two kilometres northwest of the existing Zuun Mod molybdenum/copper resource and look forward to the resumption of drilling in the near future," said Peter Akerley, President and CEO. "This intersection of significant copper mineralization further illustrates the potential for new discoveries within the large porphyry system at Zuun Mod."

As part of a recent drilling program at Zuun Mod, three vertical holes were completed in December 2010 to test geophysical and geochemical targets outside the area of the main molybdenum deposit. Drill hole ZMD-121, located approximately 2.2 kilometres northwest of the northern extent of the main molybdenum deposit, intersected a monzonite hosted breccia intruding a package of dacite and andesite porphyry. The monzonite hosted breccia zone returned 34 metres of 1.3% copper from 308 to 342 metres. This mineralized zone included a 10 metre section of 3.1% copper (maximum value for 2-metre samples was 4.1% copper). A drill rig remains on site and a follow-up program is now being designed for the resumption of drilling. Maps showing the location of drill hole ZMD-121 and photos of mineralized drill core are available on Erdene's website at www.erdene.com. 

Khuvyn Khar Copper Prospect Drilling (at Zuun Mod)

Hole ZMD-121, drilled in the north-central portion of the Zuun Mod licence in a target area referred to as Khuvyn Khar (meaning Black Cirque), has intersected a new zone of greater than one percent copper. The copper zone was intersected at 308 metres depth coincident with both a dipole-dipole chargeability high and an RTP (reduced to pole) magnetic low geophysical signature. This geophysical anomaly is interpreted to reflect magnetite destructive alteration and metallic mineralization associated with a buried granodiorite-monzonite intrusive. The target area is also defined by surface geochemical molybdenum and copper anomalies. The remainder of the hole has elevated copper values averaging 781 ppm Cu from 5 metres to 308 metres (above the higher-grade zone) and 542 ppm Cu from 342 metres to end of hole at 378 metres (below the higher-grade zone). Analytical results have only been returned for copper and molybdenum with additional analysis for other metals now being completed. The Khuvyn Khar prospect remains untested below 378 metres depth (ZMD-121) and is open to the north and west. To the east, two holes have been previously drilled, ZMD-08 (450 metres to the east-northeast) which returned 0.10% Cu over 26 metres and KKMD-13 (800 metres to the southeast) which returned 152 metres of 0.16% Cu including 32 metres of 0.22% Cu.

Erdene controls the Zuun Mod deposit through a single exploration license totaling 30,650 hectares, located in Bayankhongor Province in Mongolia, approximately 950 kilometers southwest of Ulaanbaatar and 215 kilometers from railhead on the Mongolia-China border at Ceke. The railhead is located 20 kilometers south of the Nariin Sukhait and Ovoot Tolgoi coal mines in Southern Mongolia.

Qualified Person

J.C. (Chris) Cowan, P.Eng. (Ontario) is a Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. All samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards, blanks and duplicates.

About Erdene

Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a diversified resource company with multiple projects at various stages of development from exploration to production; all projects are focused on high-growth commodities. Erdene has a current working capital position of approximately $7.6 million, including that of its controlled subsidiary Advanced Primary Minerals Corp., with 90,018,377 common shares issued and outstanding and a fully diluted position of 93,731,377 common shares.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and subject to change after that date. 

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