(Press release) – Manas Resources (ASX: MSR) has now completed a substantial exploration program at the Shambesai gold project in the Kyrgyz Republic – with 7,000 metres of results still pending – which are expected by September 2011.

The program included 5,000 metres of infill drilling, 5,000 metres of extensional drilling and 2,500 metres of sterilisation and geotechnical drilling.

A 30 line km geophysics program has also been completed at Shambesai from Pum East to Pum West, with the program now commencing at Nurlau.

The main focus of drilling at Shambesai have been on areas which Manas has designated as critical to expanding the shallow oxide resource, while expanding the western pit boundary and increasing the economics of the pit optimisation for the Feasibility Study.

A resource update is forecast to be received in the September quarter.

Shambesai is highly prospective due to previously announced hits such as 33.7 metres at 10.74 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 114 metres, including 7.8 metres at 28.64 g/t gold. The impact from this and other high grade hits improved the project’s economics by substantially increasing the underground potential.

Manas Resources (ASX: MSR) is focused on exploring and developing the company’s wholly owned gold projects on the Tien Shan gold belt in the Kyrgyz Republic. Manas holds an extensive 4,400 km² land holding in the Kyrgyz Republic, with a 1.13 million ounces gold resource.