Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:ATM) ("Atacama Pacific") is
pleased to report continued positive results from the ongoing 20,000-metre
infill drilling program at its 100% owned Cerro Maricunga oxide gold project
located in Chile's Maricunga Mineral Belt, 120 kilometres northeast of the city
of Copiapo. 


Highlights from the drill program, summarized on the attached table, include:



--  532 metres grading 0.54 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") from the Phoenix
    (CMD-249) including 50 metres grading 1.44 g/t Au 
    
    
--  180 metres grading 0.68 g/t Au from the Lynx Zone (CMR-254) including
    1.80 g/t Au over 22 metres



Drill hole CMD-249, which returned 532 metres grading 0.54 g/t Au including a 50
metre interval grading 1.44 g/t Au, was drilled through the core of the Phoenix
Zone in a southwest direction, opposite to the northeastern orientation of the
majority of the Cerro Maricunga drilling. The results from CMD-249 confirm that
the drill hole orientation does not create a noticeable bias to the gold grades.


The drill results confirm the continuity of the oxide gold mineralization within
the pit constrained resource estimate which formed the basis of the recently
released preliminary economic assessment ("PEA"). The PEA demonstrated the
potential economic viability of an open pit mine and associated conventional
heap leach processing operation at Cerro Maricunga producing 2.7 million ounces
of gold over a ten year mine life at cash costs of $652 per ounce gold with an
after-tax NPV5% of $531 million and an internal rate of return of 26.6%. 


As part of the continuing development of the project, a further 14 column and 34
bottle roll tests are nearing completion at Kappes, Cassidy and Associates'
extractive metallurgical laboratory in Reno, Nevada. The test work is being
completed on low to average grade mineralization from the three main gold zones
typically crushed to 19 millimetres. A series of composite samples were prepared
and tested to determine the impact of agglomeration on gold recoveries and two
columns were loaded with mineralization crushed with high pressure grinding
rolls. It is anticipated that the final results will be available during March
2013. 


At the Santa Teresa property, located northwest and adjacent to the Cerro
Maricunga property, Atacama Pacific recently completed an induced polarization
survey identifying a strong chargeability anomaly, associated with a prominent
magnetic high, overlying a series of trenches which have returned anomalous gold
grades. Two holes are planned to test the source of the chargeability anomaly
during the second quarter.


National Instrument 43-101 

Michael Easdon, a professional geologist registered with the State of Oregon,
USA, is the independent qualified person for the current exploration program and
has reviewed, approved and verified the content of this press release. 


Carlos Guzman, a mining engineer, Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy and a registered member of the Chilean Mining Commission, is the
independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI
43-101") for the Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Cerro Maricunga
project. Mr. Guzman is a Principal and Project Director with NCL Ingeneiria y
Construccion Ltda., Santiago, Chile.  


Dr. Eduardo Magri, a mining engineer (University of Witwatersrand) and a Fellow
of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, is the independent
qualified person for the Cerro Maricunga resource estimate released September
25, 2012. The Cerro Maricunga resource estimate was prepared under Canadian
Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards
(2005). NCL Ingeneiria y Construccion Ltda. undertook to prepare and is
responsible for the resource estimate under the supervision of Dr. Eduardo Magri
and Antonio Couble (NCL Associate). The $1,400 pit constrained resource estimate
was estimated through the use of economic and mining parameters applied to the
global resource.


FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including predictions,
projections and forecasts. Forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements with respect to the PEA, including total gold production
of 2.7 million ounces over a 10 year mine life, initial life of mine estimated
operating cash costs of $652 /oz Au, After-tax NPV5% of $531 million and an IRR
of 26.6%, exploration results (including with respect to water resources), the
success of exploration activities generally, mine development prospects, and
potential future gold production. Often, but not always, forward-looking
statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning",
"expects" or "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates",
"forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or
"belief", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state
that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or
"will" be taken, occur or be achieved. 


Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events,
conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results,
prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others,
the results of due diligence activities, changes in economic parameters and
assumptions, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration
activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the
results of regulatory and permitting processes; future prices of gold; possible
variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to
operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry;
the results of further economic and technical studies, delays in obtaining
governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well
as those factors disclosed in Atacama Pacific's publicly filed documents.


Although Atacama Pacific has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those
described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause
actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be
accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. 




Table 1 - Summary of Cerro Maricunga Drill Results (greater than or equal to
 10 m intervals composited at a 0.2 g/t cut-off)                            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hole #      Section     From       To Interval    Grade     Zone Notes      
                    (metres) (metres) (metres) (g/t Au)                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMD-240         900      140      154       14     0.42   Pollux            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         206      216       10     0.26                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         238      268       30     0.63                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMD-247        1500       16      148      132     0.42  Phoenix            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         202      234       32     0.58                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         292      372       80     0.63                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-248         900        0       68       68     0.50  Phoenix transition 
                                                                 between    
                                                                 Phoenix and
                                                                 Crux       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMD-249        1550       22      554      532     0.54  Phoenix drilled SW 
                                                                 direction  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 including               110      120       10     1.28                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 and                     338      388       50     1.44                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         570      606       36     0.55                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-251        2450       62       82       20     0.30     Lynx along SW   
                                                                 contact    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         122      132       10     0.30                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         152      168       16     0.22                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-252        1650        0       78       78     0.55  Phoenix            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         208      230       22     0.33                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         242      334       92     0.49                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         380      420       40     0.39                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-253        2050        0       26       26     0.47     Lynx            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         124      140       16     0.22                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         222      278       56     0.30                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-254        2300        0      180      180     0.68     Lynx includes 16
                                                                 m dike     
                                                                 grading 0.1
                                                                 g/t Au     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 including                 0      106      106     0.83                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Including                14       36       22     1.80                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 and                     122      180       58     0.58                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-255        1200       16       28       12     0.25   Pollux            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          62       80       18     0.27                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         128      238      110     0.28                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-257        1200       96      112       16     0.30   Pollux            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         148      162       14     0.20                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         252      338       86     0.49                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-259        1100      156      172       16     0.25   Pollux            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMR-261        1000        2       26       24     0.30   Pollux            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          84       94       10     0.31                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         156      166       10     0.48                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTES: Unless otherwise noted, reported gold grades are composited at a 0.2 
g/t Au cut-off. All intervals represent down-hole lengths and not true      
widths. Drill holes prefixed "CMD" are diamond drill holes; holes prefixed  
"CMR" are RC drill holes.                                                   



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 
Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation
Carl B. Hansen
President and CEO
416 861 8267
info@atacamapacific.com
www.atacamapacific.com

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