Candente Resource Corp.: Preliminary Resource Estimate at Canariaco Norte.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Candente Resource Corp. (TSX:DNT) is pleased to report that an independent preliminary mineral resource estimate has been completed on the Canariaco Norte Zone of the Canariaco property, Northern Peru. This estimate is considered to be very preliminary as this resource makes up less than 15% of the volume of known mineralization. The report estimates an inferred resource of 76.5 million tonnes grading 0.614% copper and 0.099 grams per tonne (gpt) gold at a cut-off grade of 0.30% copper. Contained metal in the resource equals 1,035 million pounds of copper and 243,000 ounces of gold.

The surface expression of the preliminary resource is approximately 14 hectares, which is less than 15% of the surface expression of known copper mineralization (114 hectares) in the Norte Zone, as currently defined by 23 drill holes and surface copper showings. This zone extends over a minimum length of 1.2 kilometres (km) and a minimum width of 1 km and remains open laterally. In addition, several drill holes to date have ended in copper grades of 0.55% to 1.00% indicating that the deposit is also open to depth.

Joanne Freeze, President and CEO of Candente, states, "We are very excited about the potential to develop a significant copper and gold resource at Canariaco. We are particularly impressed by the consistency of copper and gold grades in the deposit both vertically and laterally. In addition to this, we also see potential for developing a leachable chalcocite resource in the southern portion of the deposit where preliminary leach testing of chalcocite mineralization showed 92% recovery after 93 days."

PRELIMINARY INFERRED RESOURCE
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Cut-off             Copper       Gold    Contained   Contained
Grade    Tonnes      Grade      Grade       Copper        Gold
(% Cu) (Million)     (% Cu)       gpt (Million lbs)    (Ounces)
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0.5        58.5      0.672      0.104          866     195,000
0.4        71.0      0.634      0.101          992     230,000
0.3        76.5      0.614      0.099        1,035     243,000
--------------------------------------------------------------

Total silver content has not been estimated yet as analyses were not available for all of the holes. The seven holes analysed to date show an average of 2.5 gpt silver.

The 2005 drill program, planned to commence in early May, will focus on expanding the resource at Canariaco Norte. The first target area will be the central to southern portion of the known deposit where chalcocite (leachable copper) dominates the copper mineralization. Two other copper-gold porphyry targets on the property will also be investigated. Environmental permitting is in progress, which will allow an additional 78 holes to be drilled on the property.

The Canariaco deposit is road accessible and situated on the eastern slopes of the Andes. The area is sparsely populated however, a local labour force is readily available and favourable to exploration and development. Elevations range from 2500 to 3200m above sea level.

The mineral resource estimate is based on assay results from 2891.4 metres of drill core from a total of 3451.4 drilled in 15 holes of which 12 were drilled by Candente in 2004 and 3 were drilled in 1973 and 1995 by Ingemmet and Placer Dome. The Candente holes were drilled at 100 metre spacings. The estimations for the preliminary resource were capped at a copper grade of 2.0% and a gold grade of 0.3 gpt. Independent geologist James A. McCrea, P.Geo., and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument (NI) 43-101, was responsible for the mineral resource estimate dated March 23rd, 2005 Mr. McCrea has read and approved the contents of this news release. The resource estimate is classified as an Inferred Mineral Resource, consistent with the CIM definitions referred to in NI 43-101. This estimate will be filed in a Technical Report, compliant with NI 43-101 on SEDAR within 30 days. Mineral resources, which are not mineral reserves, have not demonstrated economic viability. Candente is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other issues which may materially affect its estimate of mineral resources.

The NQ-size core from the 2004 drill program was cut in half with a diamond saw and sampled at two metre intervals on the property. One half of the split core was collected by Candente's Peruvian geologists in accordance with industry standards and submitted to Actlabs in Lima, Peru for copper. Copper was analyzed by a four acid leach process on a 50 g split to give values for total copper, acid soluble copper, cyanide soluble copper and residual sulphide copper. Pulps from some of the same samples were sent to Actlabs laboratory in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada and analysed for an additional 36 elements (including silver) using Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP). Gold analyses on all the holes were carried out by Actlabs, Lima using Fire Assay Fusion and Atomic Absorption method on a 50g split. Five percent of all core samples were also sent to a second laboratory for check assays of total copper and total gold. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC), including the use of sample standards, blanks and duplicates as well as chain of custody was monitored by Candente.

The core from the 1973 drill program was collected along 2 metre lengths and analysed for copper and molybdenum. The core sizes were NCD to 50 m depth, NXWL to 170 m depth and BXWL for the remainder of the hole. A total of 66 composite geological samples were analysed for total copper, molybdenum, silver and gold. The "frio de la dithizina-benceno" assay method (colorimetric analysis) was used. Analyses were carried out by Plenge Laboratory in Lima and the laboratory of INGEMMET. Candente cannot comment on the reliability of the sampling and analyses carried out, however, the fact that this INGEMMENT hole (73-001) was twinned by Candente's 04-008 hole and the results are very similar indicate that the data is reliable.

The core from Placer Dome's 1995 drill program was sent to and analysed by SGS-XRAL labs in Lima for copper, gold and molybdenum. No specific information on how they handled the core is available, however data from professional geologists of large companies is considered to be of high quality. In addition, Joanne Freeze has direct experience working with Placer Dome and believes that they would have had detailed QA/QC programs in place at Canariaco. These would have included the use of blanks, standards, and check assays.

Candente will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the preliminary resource estimate on March 30th, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. PST / 1:00 p.m. EST. Participation can occur in one of two ways: to participate on the conference call, please dial 416-695-5261 or toll free 1-877-888-4210 prior to the scheduled start time. The call will be available for replay until April 13, 2005 by calling 416-695-5275 or 1-866-518-1010. Alternatively, the live webcast can be accessed through the Company's website at www.candente.com, and will be archived on the Candente website afterwards.

Maps and cross-sections can be viewed at: www.candente.com/s/PeruProjects_Canariaco.asp

Michael Casselman, M.Sc., P.Geo., General Manager Exploration and Director of Candente, and Joanne C. Freeze, P.Geo., President and CEO, are the Qualified Persons (QPs) as defined by NI 43-101 for the project discussed above and they have read and approved the contents of this release.

On another matter, the Company is pleased to announce, pursuant to section 4.11 of National Instrument 51-102, the appointment of Staley, Okada & Partners, Chartered Accountants, of Vancouver, B.C., as its new auditors, effective February 7th, 2005. The Company wishes to thank its former auditors, Beauchamp & Company, Chartered Accountants, of Vancouver, B.C., and advises that this change is due to the requirement that the Company, being a foreign private issuer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, have auditors who are registered with the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

Candente is a diversified copper and gold exploration company. Our focus is to increase shareholder value through discovery. Candente has an advanced exploration stage copper project, Canariaco, and several other gold and gold-copper projects in Peru and Newfoundland. Candente's directors have individual track records in both the discovery and development of multi-million ounce gold and silver, and multi-billion pound copper deposits. Candente subscribes to principles, which ensure that its exploration and development activities are beneficial to the local communities.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joanne Freeze, P. Geo., President & CEO

Candente Resource Corp.

Release No. 126

This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Candente relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements.