Gold Exploration in West Africa

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Semafo (SMF.TO) resumes at Mana in Burkina Faso

PRESS RELEASE
SEMAFO TSX-SMF
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DRILLING PROGRAMS RESUMED AT THE MANA GOLD PROJECT.

Montreal, Quebec, April 13, 2006. – SEMAFO (TSX – SMF) is pleased to announce that two drilling programs totalling 10,800 meters are actually in progress on its wholly-owned Mana gold project in Burkina Faso.

A first rig will be used to complete a reverse circulation program planned for a series of 160 holes totalling 6,500 meters on the high grade gold deposit of Nyafe, Semafo’s original discovery in the country, which should supply about 10% of the required feed at the Mana CIL gold recovery mill. The mill is planned to be commissioned before the end of year 2007. The majority of this drilling program has the objective to provide a more precise delineation of the geometry of the deposit and to improve the quality of the estimation of the mineral reserves in preparation for the pre-stripping and mining. Another rig, already at work, will supply large core samples (PQ/HQ sizes) dedicated to complete further metallurgical tests at SGS-Lakefield laboratories. These tests are necessary to fine tune and confirm the most important metallurgical parameters (comminution and leach recoveries for both Nyafe and Wona gold deposits) to allow completion of the final design of the Mana gold mill.

Construction-related work for the mine has been launched recently (January 31st, 2006) when announcement was made of the attribution of an EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management) contract to Montreal-based engineering firm GENIVAR.

The diamond drill program is planned to return a total of 4,300 meters of core partly from the Nyafe deposit (1000 meters including a series of four (4) deeper holes planned below the bottom of the pits) and from the medium depth extension of the Wona deposit, located 10 kilometers north of the Nyafe deposit. On Wona, the program will comprise a series of seven (7) holes averaging 350 meters each in length and aiming the minus 200-300 meter level elevations. The free-milling sulphidic deep portion presence of this deposit was already recognized earlier (Dec.8th, 2004) with a single core intersection of 4.83 g/t Au over 12 meters, from 317 to 329 in hole WDC-24. On the Wona deposit, the deep drilling program will provide indications of the potential of increasing its drill-indicated mineral resource.

Semafo also announced earlier in January that the Mana gold project in-situ total proven and probable mineral reserves as of December 31, 2005, stand at 9,443,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.89 g/t Au representing 877,200 ounces, using a gold price of US$450 per ounce. Details showed proven mineral reserves of 6,831,000 tonnes @ 2.89 g/t Au and probable mineral reserves of 2,612,000 tonnes @ 2.88 g/t Au.

As a result of the conversion of mineral resource into mineral reserve, the measured and indicated mineral resources decreased by 60%, totalling 2,296,100 tonnes at a grade of 2.28 g/t Au thus representing a total of 168,600 ounces. Details showed measured mineral resources of 537,300 tonnes @ 1.77 g/t Au and indicated mineral resources of 1,758,800 tonnes @ 2.44 g/t Au. Nevertheless, the total mineral reserves and resources stand at 11,738,500 tonnes at a grade of 2.77 g/t Au representing 1,045,800 ounces of gold. Mr. Benoit La Salle, President and Chief Executive Officer of Semafo commented that: ‘’This drilling program, targeting the extensions at depths of Wona and Nyafe deposits, is of great importance to assess the full potential of the two structures in order to increase total mineral resources of the property over the actually known 1 million ounces of gold.’’

For year 2006, Semafo has allocated a 1.5M US$ budget to sustain the annual exploration programs planned on the properties of the Mana gold project. The objective of the regional programs, also in progress, is to further increase the mineral resources available and consequently, the expected mine life of the Mana Project.

The mineral reserves and mineral resources estimations reported above are documented in conformity with Canadian National Instrument 43-101. The estimations are based on a technical report that will be made available on SEDAR. Michel Cormier, geological engineer and Semafo’s Qualified Person has supervised the preparation of the technical report on the mineral reserves and resources estimates for the Mana Project, as of December 31, 2005. He has reviewed this press release for accuracy and has confirmed that the information relating to mineral reserves and mineral resources outlined above derived from the technical report prepared for Semafo by experienced mining geologists under his technical supervision. The exploration and drilling programs are designed and managed locally by Dofinta Bonde, senior project geologist and reviewed and supervised under the direction of Michel Cormier, geological engineer, Qualified Person and Director of geology for Semafo.

All individual samples will represent one-meter length of core or RC drilling and will be sent for preparation and gold assaying at the ABILAB laboratories in Bamako, Mali. Each sample will be fire assayed for gold content on a 50-gramme sub-sample at the same SGS laboratories. Complementing ABILAB’s own QA/QC (Quality Assurance / Quality Control) program, an internal quality control and quality insurance program will be in place throughout the sampling program, using blind duplicates and recognized industry standards. The common shares of Semafo are traded on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “SMF”.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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Semafo is a mining company whose mission is to explore, develop and mine
major gold deposits in West Africa. Semafo currently operates the Kiniero mine in Guinea, the Samira Hill mine in Niger and is developing the Mana project in Burkina Faso.

For more information contact :
SEMAFO:
Benoit La Salle,
President & CEO
Tel : [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail : [e-mail]

SEMAFO:
Michel Cormier
Geological Manager, Qualified Person
Tel: [phone]
Fax : [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

RENMARK :
Tina Cameron
Tel : [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail : [e-mail]