Desert Sun's Jacobina Gold Mine Nears Completion-First Gold Pour Scheduled for April.

TORONTO -- Desert Sun also provides an Exploration Update

DESERT SUN MINING CORP. (TSX:DSM)(AMEX:DEZ) continues to make significant progress toward gold production from the Jacobina Mine and is pleased to report that the first gold pour is scheduled for April 2005. Desert Sun is on track to complete the project on schedule and on budget and to produce gold at a steady state of 100,000 ounces per year in the third quarter of 2005.

The reactivation of the Jacobina Mine continues at a rapid pace with the processing plant construction and automation essentially complete. The crushing plant, ball mill and CIP (carbon-in-pulp) circuit are all operational. Low grade ore from previous mining was fed into the plant beginning in January and 18,000 tonnes have been processed so far. Processing of development ore, of which approximately 71,000 tonnes had been stockpiled to the end of February, will begin in early March.

"The success we have achieved in reaching our milestones has put us on schedule for a gold pour in April," commented Bruce Humphrey, President and CEO of Desert Sun Mining. "This is a testament to the skill and expertise of the individuals who are dedicated to this project and have been driving it forward."

Progress to date on the processing plant and mine include:

- The conveyor and pumping systems are operational

- New leach tanks have been erected and have completed hydraulic testing

- Gold refinery electrowinning equipment is in place

- The refinery's induction furnace has arrived on site and is currently being installed

- Compressors and back-up generators are commissioned

- The tailing facility is complete

- The assay laboratory is complete and currently in use

- Mining equipment required for start-up is on site

- The remaining fleet of required haulage trucks will be delivered during the second quarter of 2005

- Simba long-hole drills are now operational underground with Desert Sun crews and Atlas Copco trainers

- Ramp development is underway and making excellent progress

- The mine ventilation system and compressor plant are operational

- The new repair shop and mine offices are in use

- Desert Sun has completed over 7,000 hours of staff training on mine equipment and safety procedures and has maintained an excellent safety record

The newly-formed Mine Project Group is preparing budgets for advancing the exploration and development in the Jacobina South Extension, Morro do Vento, Canavieiras, Serra do Corrego and the Morro do Vento Extension. This is anticipated to encompass expenditures of approximately US$5 million in addition to the previously reported exploration program of US$5 million (Desert Sun press release dated January 19, 2005).

Exploration Update

Desert Sun has initiated a major exploration program for 2005, which will include at least 25,000 metres of diamond drilling. This program will focus on further exploring and developing major targets in the Jacobina Mine area as well as significantly expanding the exploration work in the northern area of the Bahia Gold Belt, especially at Pindobacu. Results of exploration work, including drilling, will continue to be released on a regular basis as results become available.

Work in progress on exploration is as follows:

- One surface drill is testing the downdip and on-strike extension of the Basal/Main Reefs in the Morro do Vento Extension. Hole MCZ-83 drilled in 2004 intersected 4.94 grams gold per tonne (g Au/t) over a true width of 12.6m in the Main Reef in this area.

- Underground services are being installed to enable underground drilling in the Morro do Vento Extension to test the possibility that the Main Reef, intersected in Hole MCZ-83, may extend to shallower levels near the old mine workings.

- At Canavieiras, underground services are being installed and an 80 metre long crosscut is being driven to enable underground drilling to test the southeastern and southern extensions of the Piritoso/Liberino Reefs that were previously mined and the MU/LU Reefs below the old workings. The mine is also being completely re-surveyed.

- In the Northern area, one track-mounted diamond drill, shortly to be joined by a second surface drill rig, is following up on excellent intersections at Pindobacu 50 km north of Jacobina including 5.46 g Au/t over a true width of 21.9m in Hole PB-2.

- Fugro-LASA-Geomag has been contracted to complete a 50 line-kilometre induced polarization geophysical survey in the Pindobacu-Fumaca area. A detailed soil geochemical survey and detailed geological mapping is also in progress to cover the entire 15 km strike length of the target zone.

- Dr. Paul Karpeta, an expert on Precambrian conglomerate-hosted gold deposits with extensive experience in the Witwatersrand, South Africa and at Tarkwa, Ghana, has been contracted to complete a study of the Jacobina basin to identify additional entry points outside the mine area where conglomerates would have been deposited.

Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo. is the Qualified Person, as defined under National Instrument 43-101, responsible for the scientific and technical work on the program. Peter Tagliamonti, P.Eng. is the Qualified Person, as defined under National Instrument 43-101, responsible for all engineering and mining reserve estimates and has been on-site throughout the mine re-development since April 2004.

Desert Sun Mining is a Canadian gold exploration and development company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange with 100% ownership of the Jacobina Mine and the 155 km long Bahia Gold Belt in the state of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil. The mine is scheduled to re-start operations in April of 2005 with proven and probable mineral reserves of 10,746,000 tonnes at 2.2g Au/t containing 758,000 ounces of gold. As a result of the Desert Sun's exploration programs to date, Measured and Indicated resources total 24,800,000 tonnes @ 2.53 g Au/t containing 2,050,000 ounces of gold, and Inferred Resources total 22,000,000 tonnes @ 2.61 g Au/t containing 1,900,000 ounces of gold. The mineral reserves are included within the Measured and Indicated mineral resources. For additional information, please see Desert Sun's website at www.desertsunmining.com.

Statements in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual developments or results may vary materially from those in these "forward-looking statements".

Desert Sun Mining Corp. (TSX:DSM) (AMEX:DEZ)