Avrupa Minerals Ltd. reported the completion of drilling and the receipt of all results related to the Phase 2 exploration program on the Alvalade Joint Venture in the Portuguese Pyrite Belt. Avrupa drilled eight holes, totaling 3,491 meters, in the second round of drilling on the Alvalade JV. The Company drilled 16 holes, totaling 6,757 meters, in two phases of drilling during 2012.

Best results in Phase 2 came from the MBV02 drill hole, a follow-up hole to MBV01, drilled during Phase 1, in the Monte da Bela Vista target area. Monte da Bela Vista is located approximately two kilometers north of the past-producing Lousal Mine. The company drilled MBV02 to 653.1 meters, and intercepted long intervals of probable feeder zone-style, mineralized stockwork quartz veining, often indicative of the presence of a nearby massive sulfide system.

Copper results from MBV02 include: 45.90 meters (7.30 m to 53.20 m) @ 0.24% Cu, including 8.05 meters (11.80 to 19.85) @ 0.39% Cu and 15.80 meters (23.70 m - 39.50 m) @ 0.44% Cu - 24.15 meters (146.30 m to 170.45 m) @ 0.24% Cu, including 1.50 meters (154.15 to 155.65) @ 1.64% Cu and 7.50 meters (159.60 to 167.10) @ 0.44% Cu. Gold results from MBV02 include: 23.70 meters (154.15 m to 177.85 m) @ 1.35 ppm Au, including 1.50 meters (154.15 to 155.65) @ 5.11 ppm Au and 7.45 meters (161.75 to 169.20) @ 2.16 ppm Au - 97.50 meters (279.50 m to 377.00 m) @ 0.40 ppm Au, including 7.00 meters (293.00 to 300.00) @ 1.08 ppm Au and 9.50 meters (310.80 to 320.30) @ 2.30 ppm Au. Other base metal results from MBV02 include - Numerous intervals of greater than 0.1% Pb and/or Zn.

Elevated and anomalous copper, lead, zinc, and gold results also came from drill hole SMS01 in the Santa Margarida da Serra target area, which opens up a fourth belt of potential VMS-hosting volcano-sedimentary rock units. Further elevated and anomalous copper, lead, and zinc values are present in FAL01, located 2 kilometers south of the Lousal Mine, and CBG01, located approximately 5 kilometers NW of Monte da Bela Vista. Both holes are located in the mineral belt interpreted as being on the northwest strike projection from Neves Corvo.

Drilling also intercepted anomalous copper, lead, and zinc in CDM01, located approximately 8 kilometers east of the Lousal Mine in the Aljustrel mineral belt.