Etruscan Resources Inc. Drilling Continues to Expand Youga.

News Editors/Business Editors

WINDSOR, Nova Scotia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2004

Etruscan Resources Inc. (TSX:EET) announced today the results from 15 of 23 new diamond drill holes completed during March on the Youga Gold Deposit in Burkina Faso, West Africa which continue to expand the deposit. This most recent drilling has focused on testing the strike extensions of the Northwestern Zone, the Southern Extension of the A2 Main Deposit, and the northern plunge of the A2 Main Deposit; and to begin drilling on the A2 East Deposit.

Northwestern Zone

Results from 5 new holes (A2-04-117 to 121) confirm that the gold mineralization intersected in hole A2-04-96 (32.0 metres @ 2.5 grams per tonne gold) extends for 150 meters along strike to the northwest away from the A2 Main Deposit and remains open along strike and at depth. Furthermore, five historical holes drilled on an azimuth of 180 degrees by the previous operators in 1996-1997 have been re-logged and are now re-classified as intersections in the Northwestern Zone. Results from these holes are also presented. Several new holes are being designed to follow-up these encouraging results.

Hole         Section         From      To     Width      Grade
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (m)      (m)      (m)       (g/t)

A2-04-117     25W            2.5      10.5      8.0        4.1
                     and    31.5      42.7     11.2        4.7
                    incl.   31.5      36.0      4.5        8.2
A2-04-118     50W           29.3      62.1     32.8        3.6
                    incl.   35.0      41.0      6.0        6.4
                    incl.   58.3      61.7      3.4       10.7
A2-04-119     75W           26.2      28.0      1.8        0.8
A2-04-120     50W            9.5      27.9     18.4        2.8
                    incl.   17.3      23.4      6.1        6.7
A2-04-121      0W           13.2      23.7     10.5        1.9
A2-96-008    100W           28.0      44.0     16.0        1.9
A2-96-009    125W           59.0      85.0     26.0        2.6
                    incl.   72.0      78.0      6.0        6.5
A2-97-023    150W           92.0     106.0     14.0        4.2
A2-97-028     75W           51.0      64.5     13.5        7.7
A2-97-055    125W          137.2     147.2     10.0        2.7

A2 Main Deposit:  Southern Extension

Results from 5 of the 8 new holes testing the southern extension of
the A2 Main Deposit are presented below.  All of the holes have
intersected the mineralization and assay results are pending for an
additional two holes (A2-04-130 to 131).  These results confirm that
the A2 Main Deposit extends due south for an additional 100 meters of
strike length and are providing evidence the A2 Main and A2 East
Deposits may be linked.  Several additional holes have been designed
to test this model.


Hole         Section         From      To     Width      Grade
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (m)      (m)      (m)       (g/t)

A2-04-115   7375N           11.0      20.0      9.0        1.4  Main
A2-04-126   7450N            1.0      12.0     11.0        1.6
                      and   77.7      90.4     12.7        0.9
A2-04-127   7425N           57.5      91.0     33.5        1.3  Main
                     incl.  57.5      65.2      7.7        4.0  HG
A2-04-128   7400N            7.4      25.9     18.5        1.3
A2-04-129   7425N           90.3      96.2      5.9        4.4

A2 Main Deposit:  Central and Northern Plunge

Two new holes (A2-04-116 and 123) were drilled to complete the
definition drilling in the central area of the A2 Main Deposit.  Hole
A2-04-116 was designed to help define the edge of the plunging
mineralized zone.  Hole A2-04-123, drilled on the adjacent section
and up-dip from 116, intersected the full package of mineralization
including the higher-grade material associated with the hanging wall
contact.  Hole A2-04-122 was drilled to test the continuity of the A2
Main Deposit where is plunges to the north.


Hole         Section         From      To     Width      Grade
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (m)      (m)      (m)       (g/t)

A2-04-116   7550N          214.0     220.2      6.2        1.0  Main
A2-04-123   7525N          117.0     197.2     80.2        2.7  Main
                  incl.    117.0     135.9     18.9        5.2  HG
A2-04-122   7700N          146.6     196.8     50.2        2.0  Main

A2 East Deposit

The first gold mineralization tested on the Youga property is known
as the A2 East Deposit.  In 1996 and 1997, the previous operators
completed trenching, reverse circulation and diamond drilling over a
strike length of 250 meters to a vertical depth of 50 meters.
Similar in style and nature to the mineralization in the A2 Main
Deposit, the A2 East Deposit trends in an east-west direction with a
gentle dip to the north at 30 degrees.  It is located about 400
meters to the east of the A2 Main Deposit and is an integral part of
Etruscan's program to upgrade and define the resource under the NI
43-101 standards.

Etruscan drilled a total of 8 new holes over a strike length of 250
meters in the A2 East Deposit.  Results from the first two holes (A2-
04-124 and 125), drilled on Section 7325E, are significant because
the holes are only 200 meters from the A2 Main Deposit.  Results from
holes A2-04-130 to 135 are pending.  Results of several of the more
significant historical intersections are listed along with the new
drill holes in the table below.


Hole         Section         From      To     Width      Grade
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (m)      (m)      (m)       (g/t)

A2-04-124   7325E           20.2      37.5      17.3        1.3
A2-04-125   7325E            4.8      11.6       6.8        2.9
                     and    47.9      55.4       7.5        1.8
A2-96-001   7525E           37.4      62.8      25.4        2.5
A2-97-047   7525E            3.0      33.6      30.6        3.9
YARC-123    7450E            3.0      48.0      45.0        1.4

Don Burton, Etruscan's VP of Exploration and COO stated; "This drilling program is exceeding our expectations for Youga. Our earlier drilling focused on the high-grade zone of the A2 Main Deposit and this has confirmed exceptional grade and continuity in the core of the ore body. Now the main pit continues to expand as we test the edges of the deposit and with more detailed drilling we may be able to link the A2 Main Deposit with the A2 East Deposit. There is also lots of room to expand further on the Northwestern Zone and add even more ounces. We haven't even begun to look at the satellite deposits we know exist to the west."

All sample preparations and 50-gram fire assays were performed by SGS Laboratories of Ghana. All samples are of NQ core, typically of 1-meter length and are cut in half using a core saw. Etruscan consistently employs a rigorous quality control and assurance program comprising regular insertion of certified reference standards, blanks and duplicates. The reported average grades in the main and high-grade zones are uncut and widths are down-the-hole core lengths. To date, 45 diamond drill holes totalling 5,740 meters have been completed during this phase designed to provide information for a new report on the resource and reserve at Youga. The Youga drilling and exploration program is being carried out under the supervision of David Duncan, P. Geo., and Qualified Person acting for Etruscan.

Etruscan Resources Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary Cayman Burkina Mines Ltd. holds a 90% interest in Burkina Mining Company ("BMC") which has been granted the rights to exploit the Youga Gold Deposits. The remaining 10% of BMC is held by the Government of Burkina Faso. The Youga Gold Deposits have a reported resource of over 1.2 million ounces with probable reserves of 664,800 ounces (see footnote) and the project is fully permitted for mine development by the Government of Burkina Faso. Etruscan also holds a 100% interest in three contiguous exploration permits covering over 50 kilometers of favourable stratigraphy in the Youga area.

With the addition of the Youga Gold Deposits, Etruscan's total gold resource inventory now stands at 3.1 million ounces. Etruscan holds a 40% interest in the 2 million ounce Samira Hill Gold Project under construction in Niger, and was recently granted the Agbaou Permit in Cote d'Ivoire which has an independently reported resource of 1.1 million ounces.

Etruscan Resources Inc. is a diversified Canadian junior mining company that is focused on the exploration and development of gold properties in West Africa and diamond properties in South Africa. The common shares of Etruscan are traded on The TSX Exchange under the symbol "EET". More extensive information on Etruscan can be found on its home page at http://www.etruscan.com.

Footnote: All resource and reserve estimates for the Youga gold deposits have been carried out by Ashanti Goldfields Limited, the former property owner. Ashanti is a multi-national company headquartered in Accra, Ghana and do not report resource and reserve estimates under National Instrument 43-101. Resources and reserves prepared by Ashanti are in accordance with the Australasian Code for Reporting Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, September 1999 (JORC code). Etruscan Resources Inc. has not yet done the work necessary to verify the classification of these reserves and resources under National Instrument 43-101 and therefore is not treating them at this time as National Instrument 43-101 defined mineral reserves and mineral resources verified by a qualified person. Reserve and resource estimates prepared under reporting codes other than National Instrument 43-101 should not be relied upon to conform to National Instrument 43-101 standards and definitions. However, reserve and resource categories in the JORC code are substantially similar to the corresponding categories of mineral reserves and mineral resources required under National Instrument 43-101 and to the best of Etruscan's knowledge the Ashanti estimates are relevant and reliable.

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