Cardero Resource Corp. announced receipt of positive surface exploration results for the Company's Zonia Copper Oxide Project, located in Yavapai County, Arizona USA. Rock geochemical sampling on a 150-metre spaced grid over most of the claim block has generated a new porphyry copper target based on coincident anomalous copper, molybdenum and manganese. The 2500 by 1000 metre anomaly occurs northeast of the drill-defined Zonia copper oxide deposit, and shares characteristics of its geochemical footprint. Cardero is currently completing a 28 line-kilometre IP survey over the Zonia and neighbouring Silver Queen properties, utilizing 200 metre spaced dipoles. Northeast porphyry target: Coincident areas of elevated molybdenum (Mo) and copper (Cu) values with depressed manganese (Mn) values is a classic geochemical signature of porphyry copper mineralization. Copper values are also anomalous, but copper is not as reliable as the other metals due to its solubility in the weathering profile. The overlapping anomalies suggest a porphyry copper target size on the order of 2500 by 1000 metres. The same quartz-feldspar porphyry dacite that hosts the Zonia copper oxide resource underlies the anomaly. The anomaly marks a break in the northeast trend of the mineralization, with a narrow southern "tail" that opens northward to a broader northeast trend. The anomaly is truncated at the north end by younger, post-mineral cover rocks (Gila conglomerate, alluvium, and Tertiary basalt). The east margin of the anomaly contains some narrow high-grade copper bearing structures in the historical Copper Crown mine workings, with associated intense epidote alteration. Current exploration: The entire area covered by the rock geochemical grid will be covered by the on-going IP survey. Once completed within the next few weeks, this additional data should further delineate subsurface mineralization as well as depth to sulphides (depth of oxidation) under the large Cu-Mo-Mn geochemical anomaly northeast of the Zonia deposit. Additional 150-metre spaced rock sampling is planned for the open pit area and southwest of the pit, where more detail is required to close off the anomalies. Zonia copper oxide deposit: The Zonia Copper Oxide Project has been held under private ownership for almost 100 years and has undergone comprehensive exploration, metallurgical studies and mine development planning. The majority of the mineralized area was pre- stripped during previous open-pit mining operations at Zonia in 1966, as 17 million tons were mined with 7 million tons stacked on heap leach pads, producing cement copper up till 1975. The property has been drill tested with almost 700 drill holes (60,000 meters). This high-density drilling covers 30% of the property and defines the current resource estimate, reducing technical risk on the deposit.