Infill drilling program completed at Joanna – 116 grams of gold per tonne over 2.7 metres intersected

Aurizon Mines Ltd. announce the completion of an important infill drill program at its Joanna project, located 20 kilometres from Rouyn-Noranda, in north-western, Quebec.

Four hundred sixty-three (463) holes totalling 134,489 metres have been completed by Aurizon at Joanna, with the objective of confirming results from previous drilling and to extend the mineralized zones. Results from three hundred nineteen (319) holes have been previously released, and results from seventy (70) holes are included in this release. Results are currently pending for seventy-four (74) holes. All results are expected to be received before year end.

Drilling intersected one to four mineralized intersections along the main zones on the East block (formerly Hosco) corresponding to a geological continuity along the strike of 1.1 kilometres with combined thickness variations between 20 and 100 metres. New results for individual mineralized intervals such as 2.4 grams of gold per tonne over 35.6 meters in hole JA-08-404, 2.0 grams of gold per tonne over 24 meters in hole JA-08-397 and 2.1 grams of gold per tonne over 26.4 metres in hole JA-08-330, indicate consistency of the mineralized system at the limit of the proposed pit outline (BBA Preliminary Assessment Report, see news release dated May 12, 2008 and report filed on under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com “BBA Preliminary Assessment”).

In addition, an exceptional result of 116 grams of gold per tonne over 2.7 metres (true thickness) in hole JA-08-329 has been intercepted 50 metres above historical underground development in a vein system inside the disseminated mineralized body.

“We are pleased to conclude this major drill program which has confirmed the consistency of thickness, continuity and grade mineralization. We would like to thank our staff for completing the infill drilling program on budget and schedule,” said Michel Gilbert, Vice-President of Aurizon.

Results of fifty seven (57) holes representing one or more individual mineralized intersections with grades over 1 gram of gold per tonne over more than 5 metres are indicated on detailed tables attached to this news release. An additional table indicates distinct or included 1.2 to 2.7 metres intervals of more than 10 grams of gold per tonne.

The details of thirteen (13) holes with grades below 1.0 gram of gold per tonne are not included in the table.

A sketch showing the holes location with intersections greater than 23 metres is attached to this release.

East Block (Hosco)

Infill drilling is performed on a 25 metre by 25 metre spacing within the core of the areas previously known as the Hosco Zone as defined by BBA in their Report. In this area, gold mineralization is located within different lenses located on both sides of the Cadillac break both dipping 55 degrees to the North. The South Zone, extending for more than 800 metres, corresponds to the entire length of the deposit. The North Zone is restricted to an extension of 400 metres. To date, 333 holes of 338 holes drilled on the East Block, successfully intersected mineralization above the cut off grade of 0.5 grams of gold per tonne as defined by the Preliminary Assessment report.

Preliminary Assessment Report

The BBA Preliminary Assessment concluded that based upon the September 2007 mineral resources estimate for the East block (Hosco) above the 200 metre level, the Joanna project is potentially feasible as a stand alone open-pit mine operation and recommended that additional work be undertaken to advance the project to the pre-feasibility stage. In addition, the report provided guidelines on the environmental risks.

Based on the preliminary pit optimization studies and mine design in the BBA report, the estimated diluted in pit resources contained in the detailed pit design are 9.08 million tonnes in the indicated mineral resource category and 9.07 million tonnes in the inferred mineral resource category at a combined average grade of 1.5 grams of gold per tonne, based on a cut-off grade of 0.5 grams of gold per tonne. The overall life of mine stripping ratio was estimated at 3.4 tonnes of waste per tonne of ore, with an inter-ramp pit slope of 55 degrees. Total metal recovered was estimated at 653,000 ounces of gold assuming a mill recovery of 77%.

The BBA Preliminary Assessment is preliminary in nature, includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the preliminary assessment will be realized.

Outlook

With the infill program now completed, Aurizon expects to receive an updated resource estimate early in 2009, and has appointed BBA to prepare the pre-feasibility study upon completion of the updated resource estimate. Contracts have been awarded to the following companies: Roche Ltd., to complete the required environmental studies, Golder Associates, the rock mechanic evaluation of the pit design, and SGS Lakefield Research Limited, the metallurgy processes. The pre-feasibility study will include the results of the expanded drill program, resource modelling and the metallurgical testwork that is presently in progress.

Following the infill drill program, Aurizon intends to resume its exploration drilling activities, testing high grade potential along the dip extension below 700 metres, and geophysical and geochemical targets outside of the main orebody, including the recently optioned Alexandria property located along the eastern extension of the Joanna deposit.

Aurizon is a gold producer with a growth strategy focused on developing its existing projects in the Abitibi region of north-western Quebec, one of the world’s most favourable mining jurisdictions and prolific gold and base metal regions, and by increasing its asset base through accretive transactions. Aurizon shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “ARZ” and on the NYSE Alternext (formerly the American Stock Exchange) under the symbol “AZK”. Additional information on Aurizon and its properties is available on Aurizon’s website at http://www.aurizon.com.