SEMAFO Intersects 7.14 g/t Gold Over 13.5 Meters

Mana's Deep Drilling Confirms Gold-Bearing Wona SW and Kona Zones

TSX-SMF

MONTREAL, April 20 /CNW Telbec/ - SEMAFO (TSX: SMF) today provided an update on its core drilling program currently underway along the Wona SW Zone. Results to date confirm the strong potential of the extension of the Wona Deep Project. The extension is recognized as far as 700 meters southwest of the Main Zone with significant values ranging up to 7.14 g/t over 13.5 meters. As well, the three recent drill holes from the Kona Zone still cross the gold-bearing structure with significant intercepts.

    
    WONA SW AND KONA CORE DRILLING RESULTS
    --------------------------------------
    

During the first three months of 2010, 12 holes (WDC178 to WDC189) representing 5,235 meters have been drilled with a hit ratio of 100%. Results are presented below and represented on the attached longitudinal section (Figure 1):

    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DDH No.      Zone  Section (N)     From        To          Au / Length*
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    WDC178    Kona          19000     213.0     221.0     0.15 g/t  /  8.0 m
    WDC179    Kona          18500     229.7     235.9     5.52 g/t  /  6.2 m
    WDC179    Unknown       18500     253.0     256.0     3.88 g/t  /  3.0 m
    WDC180    Wona SW       16100     454.5     460.0     2.46 g/t  /  5.5 m
    WDC180    Unknown       16100     402.0     406.0     2.66 g/t  /  4.0 m
    WDC181    Wona SW       15805     277.5     291.0     7.14 g/t  / 13.5 m
    WDC182    Wona SW       15900     356.5     366.2     2.95 g/t  /  9.7 m
    WDC183    Wona SW       16000     388.0     394.0     2.11 g/t  /  6.0 m
    WDC183    Unknown       16000     322.0     329.0     3.78 g/t  /  7.0 m
    WDC184    Kona          18300     192.2     202.3     1.89 g/t  / 10.1 m
    WDC185    Wona SW       16100     397.0     406.0     4.85 g/t  /  9.0 m
    WDC185    Unknown       16100     463.0     468.0     2.37 g/t  /  5.0 m
    WDC185    Unknown       16100     479.0     484.0     7.34 g/t  /  5.0 m
    WDC185    Unknown       16100     521.0     523.0     7.43 g/t  /  2.0 m
    WDC186    Wona SW       16000     263.0     273.0     2.11 g/t  / 10.0 m
    WDC186    Unknown       16000     326.0     332.0     2.01 g/t  /  6.0 m
    WDC187    Wona SW       15800     421.0     432.0     2.52 g/t  / 11.0 m
    WDC187    Unknown       15800     494.4     500.0     4.24 g/t  /  5.6 m
    WDC188    Wona SW       15800     208.0     213.0     2.00 g/t  /  5.0 m
    WDC189    Wona SW       15900     221.0     235.0     3.20 g/t  / 14.0 m
    WDC189    Unknown       15900     263.0     268.0     2.68 g/t  /  5.0 m
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * All lengths are measured along the hole axis; additional information
        is required to determine true widths.
    

Unknown zones are parallel zones that do not appear on the attached longitudinal section. Further investigation of these zones is underway.

As of April 6, 2010, a second core drill rig has been assigned to the Wona SW area of exploration.

A delineation drilling program was initiated in early 2010 to provide a first assessment of the Wona SW Zone. This zone is located southwest and parallel to the Main Zone, which is currently in the late stages of a pre-feasibility study. The Wona SW Zone has the potential to substantially increase Wona Deep resources and become part of the eventual underground mining operation. Results to date confirm the continuity of the zone with significant values ranging up to 7.14 g/t Au across 13.5 meters (hole WDC181). Hole WDC181 is one of the southern-most holes drilled to date and opens considerable potential further south. This hole is some 700 meters south of the Main Zone. Additional unknown parallel zones are also materializing towards the south and are under evaluation.

During the first quarter we completed the initial phase of exploration drilling on Kona, a new zone discovered late in 2009 (reference SEMAFO's press release dated January 25, 2010). The first drilling campaign was designed to provide a better understanding of the mineralization's geometry in order to guide a subsequent RC drilling program to evaluate the near surface potential. Drilling results from Kona Zone holes WDC178, WDC179, and WDC184 combined with the aeromagnetic survey results continue to support the open pit potential of the area. A follow-up 3,000-meter reverse-circulation drill program commenced on March 23, 2010, with results expected in early May. The auger drilling Zina Blé anomalous trend to the north, as stated in SEMAFO's press release dated April 14, 2010, is on strike with the Kona zone.

The exploration programs were designed and managed locally by Dofinta Bondé and David Lalonde, Mana Mineral's Exploration Chief Geologists and Richard Roy, P.Geo, Deputy Geology Manager, and guided and supervised under the direction of Michel Crevier, P.Geo MScA, Geology Manager and SEMAFO's Qualified Person who has reviewed this press release for accuracy and compliance with National Instrument 43-101.

About SEMAFO

SEMAFO is a Canadian-based mining company with gold production and exploration activities in West Africa. The Company currently operates three gold mines: the Mana Mine in Burkina Faso, the Samira Hill Mine in Niger and the Kiniero Mine in Guinea. SEMAFO is committed to evolve in a conscientious manner to become a major player in its geographical area of interest. SEMAFO's strategic focus is to maximize shareholder value by effectively managing its existing assets as well as pursuing organic and strategic growth opportunities in West Africa.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "further", "investigation", "underway, "potential", "increase", "become", "eventual", "under evaluation", "committed", "evolve", "become", "pursuing", " growth" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include the ability to complete our pre-feasibility study, the ability of the Wona SW Zone to substantially increase the Wona Deep resources and become part of the eventual underground mining operation, the ability of hole WDC181 to open considerable potential further south, the ability to find organic and strategic growth opportunities in West Africa, fluctuation in the price of currencies, gold or operating costs, mining industry risks, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral reserves and resources, delays, political and social stability in Africa (including our ability to maintain or renew licenses and permits) and other risks described in SEMAFO's documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in SEMAFO's 2009 Annual MD&A and other filings made with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. These documents are also available on our website at www.semafo.com. SEMAFO disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

http://files.newswire.ca/867/Wona.doc

For further information: Benoit La Salle, President & CEO, SEMAFO, [phone], 1-888-744-4408, [email protected]; Sofia St Laurent, Communications, SEMAFO, [phone], 1-888-744-4408, [email protected]