Vancouver, B.C., January 26, 2006. Joint venture partners Alto Ventures Ltd. (ATV: TSX-V) and Commander Resources Ltd. (CMD: TSX-V) are pleased to announce the commencement of a 5,000 metre (m) drill program on the Despinassy gold project in Quebec.
The program will include infill drilling on the DAC deposit as well as drilling to be conducted approximately 1 km east of the DAC at Area 2, where previous drilling by Cameco Corporation("Cameco") intersected up to 34 grams per tonne (g/t) gold in a similar geological setting to DAC.
The objective of the DAC drill program is to bring closer to definition, an inferred resource at shallow depths through infill drilling of gold zones initially discovered by Cameco. From 1997 through 2001, Cameco completed over 20,000 m of diamond drilling in 63 holes and intersected several zones of mineralization with assays up to 26.1 g/t gold over 3.1 m and thicker intervals with grades greater than 5 g/t gold over 9.7 m. In 2005, Alto completed a 5,307 m drill program (20 holes) which demonstrated continuity of gold mineralization at DAC.
The Despinassy project is located within the Abitibi greenstone belt, approximately 75 kilometres (km) north of Val D'Or, Quebec. Gold mineralization is widespread over the 6 km strike length of the Despinassy Shear Zone suggesting excellent potential for additional gold deposits. A study completed by Hubacheck Consulting Geologists (HCG) of Mississauga, ON, on the DAC deposit concluded that a potential gold deposit ranging from 303,000 tonnes to 670,000 tonnes with grades ranging from 6.8 g/t to 7.8 g/t of gold has been outlined along a 300 m strike length and to a depth of 360 m. The DAC deposit remains open along strike and at depth. See the Company's news release dated November 28, 2005 for further details and additional disclosures.
The property is owned under a Joint Venture Agreement between Cameco (70%) and Commander (30%). Alto is acquiring Cameco's 70% interest in the joint venture and is the project operator. Mike Koziol, P.Geo., P.Eng., is Alto's Vice President of Exploration and Qualified Person. Robert J. Tremblay, P.Geo. (Quebec), is the Qualified Person supervising Alto's drill program.
About Alto Ventures Ltd.
Alto Ventures Ltd. is a gold exploration and development company with a portfolio of nine properties in the Canadian Shield. The Company is focused on projects located within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Ontario and Quebec as well as in historic gold producing districts. Alto's strength is firmly founded upon the broad capabilities of its management team, which is highly accomplished in the realms of property acquisition, project financing, exploration and mine development. For further information visit our website at www.altoventures.com
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Richard Mazur, P.Geo.
President & CEO
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For further information contact:
Doug Fosbrooke
Investor Relations
604-638-3949
info@altoventures.com
