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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — (MARKET WIRE) — 04/05/10 — Aura Minerals Inc. (“Aura Minerals” or the “Company”) (TSX: ORA) is pleased to release nineteen further drill hole results and six historical drill hole results, from newly available historic drilling data, at its wholly owned copper-gold-silver Aranzazu Project in Zacatecas State, Mexico.

The most recent Aura Minerals drilling was designed to target zones along strike from the Arroyos Azules zone, which is the first area scheduled for mining as part of the planned restart of operations later this year. The drilling continues to show the high-grade potential of the Aranzazu Project ore body.

Highlights of the recent Aura Minerals drilling are as follows (see Table 1 and Map 1: click here to view map):

– Hole AZC-079 which returned 9.0 metres of 1.42% Cu, 2.63 g/t Au and 18.1 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZC-080 which returned 13.5 metres of 1.03% Cu, 1.59 g/t Au and 12.4 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZC-081 which returned 52.5 metres of 1.27% Cu, 0.78 g/t Au and 15.4 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZC-085 which returned 40.5 metres of 1.38% Cu, 1.69 g/t Au and 13.8 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZC-085 which returned 19.5 metres of 1.13% Cu, 1.16 g/t Au and 11.8 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZC-088 which returned 16.5 metres of 2.16% Cu, 1.96 g/t Au and 26.1 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZR-052 which returned 24.4 metres of 1.17% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au and 12.3 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZR-054 which returned 27.4 metres of 1.64% Cu, 1.37 g/t Au and 22.2 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZR-055 which returned 29.0 metres of 1.35% Cu, 1.60 g/t Au and 23.6 g/t Ag and a further 36.6 metres of 2.81% Cu, 3.66 g/t Au and 26.1g/t Ag;

– Hole AZR-058 which returned 9.1 metres of 1.33% Cu, 1.77 g/t Au and 9.8 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZR-059 which returned 10.7 metres of 1.37% Cu, 1.28 g/t Au and 15.1 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZR-062 which returned 18.3 metres of 1.61% Cu, 1.69 g/t Au and 20.1 g/t Ag;

– Hole AZR-063 which returned 18.3 metres of 1.80% Cu, 2.54 g/t Au and 26.5 g/t Ag; and

– Hole AZR-066 which returned 12.2 metres of 3.51% Cu, 3.55 g/t Au and 49.8 g/t Ag.

The drilling continues to intercept higher than average gold grades as we move progressively along strike to the east of the Arroyos Azules zone (see News Releases No. 2009-19 dated December 16, 2009 and No. 2010-03 dated February 15, 2010). This drilling has also intercepted a near surface high-grade zone with true widths of approximately 25 metres. This zone was discovered as a follow-up to ongoing surface mapping and sampling and appears to be continuous for a strike of over 200 metres. Follow-up drilling is now planned to delineate the full extent of this near surface zone as part of a plan to develop an open pit operation in conjunction with ongoing underground development.

As the Company continues to review historical data, drill results not yet included within the Company’s database have become available. Certain of these results could have a significant impact on the overall resource. The Company is currently completing additional drilling to confirm this new data.

The newly available historical drill results are as follows:

– Hole BDD-35 which returned 45.8 metres of 5.17% Cu;

– Hole BDD-41 which returned 18.6 metres of 4.75% Cu and a further 33.9 metres of 3.65% Cu;

– Hole BDD-48 which returned 6.7 metres of 1.93% Cu;

– Hole BDD-49 which returned 71.6 metres of 1.29% Cu;

– Hole BDD-53 which returned 31.3 metres of 1.25% Cu; and

– Hole BDD-76 which returned 67.9 metres of 2.25% Cu.

Several of these holes are nearby zones currently within the mine plan for restart of operations later this year. In particular Hole BDD-35 which returned 45.8 metres of 5.17% copper expands the zone by over 20 metres in true width and down dip. The Company is currently drilling nearby holes to BDD-35 and outside the known ore zone and if results are consistent with these historical drill results it is expected that this will have a positive effect on the tonnes available for near term mining. It should also be noted that none of the above historic holes had gold or silver assays.

Commenting on the above, Mr.

Patrick Downey, President and CEO of Aura Minerals, stated, “These new and historic results have a significant impact for the Aranzazu Project. The underground zone set for mining, as part of the upcoming restart of operations, has now expanded with a zone of higher-grade material. We also now have a shallow zone of high-grade mineralization that may develop into a new open pit which would provide material at lower costs for the newly expanded mill on a future basis. In regards to the deep drilling which is testing the down-dip extent of the mineralization, we have now completed three holes and first results are expected later this quarter.”

Table 1 – Aranzazu Assays (see Map 1: click here to view map) ————————————————————————– Azi- Inter- muth Dip From To val(1) Cu(2) (deg- (deg- (met- (met- (met- (4) Au(3) Ag(3) Hole # East North rees) rees) res) res) res) (%) (g/t) (g/t) ————————————————————————– AZC-079 254119 2724103 210 -52 69.0 78.0 9.0 1.14 0.36 11.7 ————————————————————————– AZC-079 254119 2724103 210 -52 159.0 168.0 9.0 1.42 2.63 18.1 ————————————————————————– AZC-079 254119 2724103 210 -52 176.2 186.0 9.8 1.41 1.00 18.5 ————————————————————————– AZC-080 253782 2724026 188 -46 13.5 27.0 13.5 1.03 1.59 12.4 ————————————————————————– AZC-081 253812 2724040 149 -47 12.0 64.5 52.5 1.27 0.78 15.4 ————————————————————————– AZC-084 253877 2723908 300 -48 196.5 204.0 7.5 0.99 0.22 5.8 ————————————————————————– AZC-085 253878 2723909 340 -48 169.5 210.0 40.5 1.38 1.69 13.8 ————————————————————————– AZC-085 253878 2723909 340 -48 216.0 235.5 19.5 1.13 1.16 11.8 ————————————————————————– AZC-087 254218 2724077 210 -59 106.5 109.5 3.0 1.94 0.59 36.3 ————————————————————————– AZC-088 254456 2724038 210 -51 339.0 355.5 16.5 2.16 1.96 26.1 ————————————————————————– AZR-052 253648 2724104 220 -44 6.1 30.5 24.4 1.17 0.19 12.3 ————————————————————————– AZR-053 253639 2724092 222 -39 3.1 36.6 33.5 0.91 0.21 9.8 ————————————————————————– AZR-054 254426 2724033 211 -47 170.7 176.8 6.1 0.93 0.96 16.0 ————————————————————————– AZR-054 254426 2724033 211 -47 184.4 187.5 3.1 0.54 0.31 9.0 ————————————————————————– AZR-054 254426 2724033 211 -47 195.1 207.3 12.2 0.58 0.92 9.9 ————————————————————————– AZR-054 254426 2724033 211 -47 288.0 315.5 27.4 1.64 1.37 22.2 ————————————————————————– AZR-055 254474 2724017 207 -48 172.2 201.2 29.0 1.35 1.60 23.6 ————————————————————————– AZR-055 254474 2724017 207 -48 320.0 356.6 36.6 2.81 3.66 26.1 ————————————————————————– AZR-057 254298 2724013 211 -49 39.6 42.7 3.1 0.91 0.56 18.3 ————————————————————————– AZR-057 254298 2724013 211 -49 102.1 105.2 3.1 0.66 5.20 10.9 ————————————————————————– AZR-057 254298 2724013 211 -49 170.7 176.8 6.1 0.61 0.69 11.3 ————————————————————————– AZR-058 254227 2723989 208 -51 25.9 35.1 9.1 1.33 1.77 9.8 ————————————————————————– AZR-059 254235 2724056 212 -54 99.1 106.7 7.6 0.71 1.36 10.3 ————————————————————————– AZR-059 254235 2724056 212 -54 176.8 179.8 3.1 1.15 1.17 21.2 ————————————————————————– AZR-059 254235 2724056 212 -54 193.6 204.2 10.7 1.37 1.28 15.1 ————————————————————————– AZR-060 253979 2724119 180 -40 47.2 50.3 3.1 1.82 0.06 2.6 ————————————————————————– AZR-061 254358 2723974 209 -49 111.3 114.3 3.1 0.53 0.25 7.3 ————————————————————————– AZR-061 254358 2723974 209 -49 178.3 189.0 10.7 0.74 0.43 8.7 ————————————————————————– AZR-062 254370 2723843 32 -43 59.4 77.7 18.3 1.61 1.69 20.1 ————————————————————————– AZR-063 254457 2723887 207 -71 36.6 54.9 18.3 1.80 2.54 26.5 ————————————————————————– AZR-066 254429 2723841 26 -45 30.5 33.5 3.1 0.55 0.26 2.9 ————————————————————————– AZR-066 254429 2723841 26 -45 36.6 41.2 4.6 0.50 1.76 8.1 ————————————————————————– AZR-066 254429 2723841 26 -45 45.7 57.9 12.2 3.51 3.55 49.8 ————————————————————————– (1) true width has yet to be determined (2) using a copper cutoff grade 0.5% (3) fire assay and atomic absorption finish (4) atomic absorption (“AA”)

Qualified Person

Exploration at the Aranzazu Project is being conducted under the supervision of Mr.

Alan Hitchborn, P.Geo., who is the Company’s Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Hitchborn has also reviewed and approved the contents of this news release as applicable.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control (“QA/QC”) Procedures for the Aranzazu Project

Aura Minerals is presently drilling at the Aranzazu Project utilizing both core and reverse circulation drill rigs. The drilling is conducted by Layne de Mexico. The reverse circulation drill uses a bit sized from 5.5 inches to 4.75 inches. The core program utilizes HQ-sized core and then stepping down to NQ-sized core as required. Samples are collected on a 1.5 metre sample interval. The reverse circulation drill cuttings are split at the drill rig. The samples collected consist of an approximate 25% split of the total material recovered from the interval sampled. This material is shipped directly to the Stewart Group de Mexico (“Stewart Mexico”) sample preparation facility in Zacatecas, Mexico and processed utilizing the same sample preparation protocol as used for the core samples discussed below. Assays are completed at the ISO 9001-2008 certified Eco Tech Laboratory Limited (“Eco Tech Stewart”), a subsidiary of the Stewart Group Ltd., in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Diamond drilling core is logged, photographed and then split in half using a diamond core saw. Half the core is retained off-site in a secure storage facility and the other half is sampled, secured in sealed, labeled bags and then transported to the Stewart Mexico facility in Zacatecas, Mexico and processed utilizing the same preparation protocol discussed below. Assays are completed at the Eco Tech Stewart laboratory in Kamloops, B.C. The entire half-core and reverse circulation drill cuttings are crushed to 95% passing 2 millimetres, split and pulverized to 95% passing 150 mesh, split again, and a 150 gram sample sent for assay. Gold assays are determined by fire assay with an AA finish, over limit assays are determined by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Silver assays are determined by three acid digestion with an AA finish, over limits are determined by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. All samples are analyzed by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrography for multi-element analysis and by AA for copper. The Company systematically inserts certified standard samples, sample duplicates in a non-sequential order and blank samples in all batches of samples sent to Stewart Mexico and Eco Tech Stewart as a means of quality control. Additionally, Stewart Mexico and Eco Tech Stewart has its own stringent internal QA/QC protocols. Check samples are systematically sent to the ALS Chemex lab in Vancouver, Canada. Chain of custody of drill samples is maintained throughout the process with the use of numbered seal tags closing sample bags and third party professional transportation of samples to the laboratories. Each stage of sample handling is recorded in log sheets and receipts obtained from each party involved.

About Aura Minerals Inc.

Aura Minerals is a Canadian resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development and operation of gold and base metal projects in the Americas. The Company’s portfolio includes the San Andres Gold Mine in Honduras, the copper-gold-silver Aranzazu Project in Mexico, and the feasibility-stage Serrote Deposit at the copper-gold-iron ore Arapiraca Project in Brazil. In addition, the Company is in the process of acquiring the producing Sao Francisco and Sao Vicente gold mines in Brazil, subject to regulatory approvals.

Cautionary Statement:

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include those risks set out in Aura Minerals’ public documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although Aura Minerals believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Aura Minerals disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

Contacts: Aura Minerals Inc.

Patrick Downey President & Chief Executive Officer (604) 669-4777 (604) 696-0212 (FAX) info@auraminerals.com www.auraminerals.com