Desert Sun Intersects Two High Grade Zones-8.40 g Au/t over 15.2 m and 9.29 g Au/t over 6.4 m-at Canavieiras Near the Jacobina Mine.

TORONTO -- DESERT SUN MINING CORP. (TSX:DSM)(AMEX:DEZ) has received additional underground diamond drill results from the Canavieiras area at Jacobina, Brazil. The drilling is being carried out to test three major target areas: conglomerate reefs located between 50-100 metres below the existing mine workings; extensions of the reefs that were previously mined; and reefs above the mine workings. Significant results are listed in Table 1 and the target areas are shown in Figure 1.

The former Canavieiras mine is located 3 km north of the processing plant and is located in a block bounded by faults that is approximately 1.2 km long and 400 metres wide. In 2005 to date, 12 holes totaling 1,516 metres have been completed to test reefs below the old workings and 12 holes totaling 471metres have been completed to test extensions of previously mined reefs. Results have been received from two (2) and nine (9) of the holes drilled in each of these target areas, respectively. Currently one surface drill rig and two underground rigs are operating at Canavieiras.

Highlights of results include:

Target Reefs below old workings

- CAN-79 intersected mineralized zones. The MU (Middle Unit) zone grading at 8.40 grams gold per tonne (7.84 g Au/t with highs cut to 30 g Au/t) over 15.2 metres and the LU (Lower Unit) zone grading at 9.29 g Au/t (7.75 g Au/t with highs cut to 30 g Au/t) over 6.4 metres. This surface hole intersected the reefs about 37m west and 22m north of CAN-13 drilled in 1997 which intersected 7.0 g Au/t over a true width of 24.0m;

- CAN-71 intersected 1.70 g Au/t over a true width of 6.8m and 2.41 g Au/t over 4.4m. This hole is 55 m south of CAN-79 near the southern limit of the target reefs below the old workings.

Target Reefs extending zones previously mined

- CAN-71 intersected 4.49 g Au/t over 3.0m true width;

- CAN-62 intersected 3.35 g Au/t over 7.0m true width;

- CAN-67 intersected 7.62 g Au/t over 1.1m true width; and

- CAN-61 intersected 4.72 g Au/t over 1.2m true width.

"The drill results at Canavieiras, especially in the targets reefs below the old workings, continue to be very positive," stated Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration. "The 2004 and recent drilling along with a re-interpretation of the geology by Chief Geologist Anselmo Rubio indicates that the distribution of the high grade gold mineralization in the target reefs both below and above the old workings is very similar to the distribution of gold ore in the reefs previously mined. Once the underground development heading that is being extended to allow enhanced drill access to the south is complete, we will be able to test if this trend of high grade mineralization continues to the south where the zones are completely open and there was very little previous drilling."

Peter Tagliamonte, Vice President, Operations and Chief Operating Officer added, "The continued positive results from the drilling program and the additional drilling planned will allow our mining team to better evaluate Canavieiras. It is also important to note that Canavieiras was not considered in our mining feasibility and we will be evaluating the exploration results carefully as this could potentially be a new mining area for Desert Sun."

Assaying for the program was carried out by Lakefield Geosol, an ISO 9001, 2000 laboratory based in Brazil, using fire assay on 50 gram pulps. Check assaying is routinely carried out, by ALS Chemex in Vancouver, on 10% of sample pulps and 5% of sample rejects. Independent standard reference samples are also inserted at regular intervals into each batch of analyses. Security is maintained at the core logging and sampling facility. 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 exploration program.

Desert Sun Mining is a Canadian gold mining 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. Proven and Probable mineral reserves are 14,378,000 tonnes at 2.12 g Au/t containing 980,000 ounces of gold. As a result of the Desert Sun's exploration programs to date, Measured and Indicated resources total 24,800,000 tonnes at 2.53 g Au/t containing 2,050,000 ounces of gold, and Inferred Resources total 22,200,000 tonnes at 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.

Desert Sun will hold a conference call on Wednesday April 20, 2005 to update investors on production activities, mine development programs and exploration results at the Jacobina Mine and on the Bahia Gold Belt in Brazil. Bruce Humphrey, President and Chief Executive Officer; Peter Tagliamonte, Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Bill Pearson, Vice President, Exploration and Stephen Woodhead, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in this call.

Date:                   Wednesday April 20, 2005
Time:                   10:00 AM EDT
Local Callers:          416-695-6120
North American Callers: 1-888-789-0089
International Callers:  1-416-695-6120

As well, the company will hold its Annual General and Special Meeting at 4:30 PM EDT on Wednesday April 20, 2005 at the National Club, 330 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario.

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". This news release also uses the terms "measured resources", 'indicated resources' and 'inferred resources'. Desert Sun Mining Corp. advises investors that although these terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations (under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. In addition, 'inferred resources' have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, or economic studies except for Preliminary Assessment as defined under 43-101. Investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an inferred resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.

Table 1: Significant Drilling Results, Canavieiras Mine
Exploration Drill Holes testing MU and LU reefs in southern part of
Canavieiras Mine
                                                          Depth Below
                                             True            570 Adit
Hole No.  From (m)  To (m)  Gold Interval   Width   Reef  Level(c)(m)
                            (g/t)      (m)     (m)
CAN71(b) N8758060 E335196 El 548
 Dip -74
  degrees/
  Az equals
  261
  degrees    3.76    6.90   4.49     3.14     3.0 Piritoso         25
            52.83   72.90   1.02    20.07    19.5       MU         80
   Incl.    65.87   72.90   1.70     7.03     6.8       MU         85
            97.40  101.90   2.41     4.50     4.4       LU        115

CAN79(a) N8758114 E335061 El 607
 Dip -65
  degrees/
  Az equals
  90
  degrees   80.23  161.13   3.88    80.90    51.0   LU +MU         75
            Highs cut
             to 30 g/t      3.52
   Incl.    80.23   92.90  14.57    12.67     8.0       MU         40
            Highs cut
             to 30 g/t     13.50
   Incl.    80.23  104.32   8.40    24.09    15.2       MU         58
            Highs cut
             to 30 g/t      7.84
   Incl.   151.03  161.13   9.29    10.10     6.4       LU        105
            Highs cut
             to 30 g/t      7.75

Definition Drill Holes testing Piritoso reef in northern end of
Canavieiras Mine
CAN59(b) N8758382 E335062 El 577
 Dip -88
  degrees/
  Az 96
   degrees no significant values

CAN60(b) N8758412 E335060 El 568
 Dip -88
  degrees/
  Az 62
  degrees  no significant values

CAN61(b)N8758.467 E335045 El 562
 Dip -86
  degrees/
  Az 217
  degrees    0.00    1.25   4.72     1.25     1.2 Piritoso          7

CAN62(b) N8758468 E335046 El 564
 Dip +42
  degrees/
  Az 90                                          N degrees
  degrees    0.00   17.78   1.81    17.78    17.6       4?    9 above
                                                 N degrees
   incl.     0.00    7.10   3.35     7.10     7.0       4?          2

CAN63(b) N8758488 E335036 El 563
 Dip -88
  degrees/
  Az 226
  degrees  no significant values

CAN64(b) N8758506 E335046 El 556
 Dip -86
  degrees/
  Az 148
  degrees    0.78    1.34   4.03     0.56    0.5 Piritoso          15

CAN65(b) N8758586 E335040 El 550
 Dip -90
  degrees/
  Az 194
  degrees    0.00    5.13   1.15     5.13    4.8 Piritoso          23

   incl.     3.64    5.53   1.88     1.89    1.8 Piritoso          24

CAN66(b) N8758552 E335.048 El 547
 Dip -90
  degrees/
  Az 172
  degrees   no significant values

CAN67(b) N8758548  E335053 El 546
 Dip -45
  degrees/
  Az 144
  degrees    1.20     2.41   7.62    1.21    1.1 Piritoso          26

(a) holes are NQ diamond drill core size
(b) holes are LTK48 diamond drill core size
(C) depth calculated based on midpoint of intersection

Please note: There is a map available on CCNMatthews' website at the following link: http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/database/fax/2000/dez0420.pdf

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