Anatolia Minerals Development Ltd fka ANO.U

[Ed Monton]

Anatolia/Rio Tinto inferred gold resource at Copler prospect exceeds 4 million ounces
Wednesday March 5, 4:46 pm ET


Main Zone inferred resource increases 35% from 1.7 to 2.3 million ounces gold; overall inferred resource at Copler rises to 4.2 million ounces.
TORONTO, March 5 /CNW/ - An update of the Main Zone at Copler by Watts, Griffis and McOuat Consulting Geologists and Engineers Limited of Toronto, Ontario commissioned by Anatolia Minerals Development Limited ('Anatolia') increases the Main Zone inferred resource to 33 million tonnes at 2.1 grams gold per tonne, up 35% from 1.7 million ounces gold to 2.3 million ounces gold. Consequently, the overall inferred resource at Copler rises to 4.2 million ounces gold, up 600,000 ounces from the 3.6 million ounces announced in the April 2002 technical report. Copler is being jointly developed by Anatolia and Rio Tinto Mining & Exploration Limited ('Rio Tinto').
The 2.3 million ounce resource assumes a 0.5 gram cutoff and yields an average 2.1 grams gold per tonne for the Main Zone. Using a 1.0 gram cutoff reduces the inferred resource by only 100,000 ounces, to 2.2 million ounces, but increases the average grade for the Main Zone to 2.4 grams gold per tonne, resulting in an overall 4.1 million ounce inferred resource at an average 3.4 grams gold per tonne.

The Anatolia/Rio Tinto JV currently has three drills running at Copler to try to confirm and expand the shallow, oxide portion of the 4.2 million ounce inferred resource announced above. Results from this round of drilling or the next might permit an overall re-assessment of the entire resource, which is open for expansion. Rio Tinto has earmarked US$2.4 million for the overall 2003 Anatolia/Rio Tinto JV Turkish program.

In April, 2000, Anatolia and Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration formed a 4-year strategic alliance to seek base and precious metal deposits in Turkey. To date, Rio Tinto has funded over US$8 million for JV exploration, with additional funding in 2003. Rio Tinto is currently earning into three prospects in Turkey, each requiring expenditures of US$10.5 million and payments of US$1.5 million for a 65% interest. Anatolia is teamed with one of the premiere mining companies in the world, enabling it to explore and advance its portfolio of exciting projects. Assays are performed by OMAC Laboratories, Ireland, with quality control of sampling, preparation and assaying overseen jointly by Rio Tinto and Anatolia whose President, Richard C. Moores, is a "qualified person" for the purposes of applicable Canadian securities regulations.

Anatolia has 30.5 million shares issued and outstanding, 37.9 million fully diluted.


The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Anatolia trades
on the TSX Venture Exchange as ANO.U, and Rio Tinto plc trades on the London
and Australian Stock Exchanges as RIO and on the New York Stock Exchange as
RTP.

For further information

Richard C. Moores, President, [phone]/9947 (fax)
or George Duggan, Investor Relations, [phone]/249-7024 (fax)
or visit www.anatolia-minerals.com.