Avrupa Drills 5.5 Meters of Massive Sulfides, 650 Meters From Initial VMS Intercept at Sesmarias, Alvalade JV Project, Portugal

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - May 12, 2014) - Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:AVU)(FRANKFURT:8AM) is pleased to announce results for the recently-completed drilling phase at the Sesmarias location on the Alvalade Joint Venture project in the Iberian Pyrite Belt of Portugal. The Alvalade project is operated by Avrupa and funded by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Antofagasta plc ("Antofagasta").

Avrupa and Antofagasta drilled eight holes in the Sesmarias area, including seven in the immediate vicinity of the initial Sesmarias massive sulfide intersection, for a total of 1,961 meters in the general target area. Results of JV drilling clearly indicate the potential for a large-scale mineralized system.

Ongoing review of historic drilling around the peripheries of the present program supports this idea, and suggests an immediate target area of over 2,500 meters in strike length for the next phase of drilling. The following figures outline the Sesmarias massive sulfide system target area. Key points to take from the figures include:

• The large scale of the Sesmarias system, with previously-documented sulfide mineralization around the peripheries of the present target area;

• Comparison of the size of the potential Sesmarias system to the size of the giant Neves-Corvo system, located 50 kilometers southeast of Sesmarias and presently mined by Lundin Mining Company;

• Historic drilling completely missed the actual target rock package, leaving

• A 2,500-meter strike length of never-before-been drilled target area at Sesmarias.

To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/avu0512fig1.pdf.

Important analytical results from sampling of massive, semi-massive, and stockwork sulfide mineralization are summarized in the table below. Four of the seven holes intersected massive sulfide mineralization at variable depths below the surface. Massive sulfide mineralization in three of those holes was sent to the lab for geochemical analyses (SES002, SES006, and SES008). A detailed in-house study of the SES003 massive sulfide mineralization was completed using a hand-held XRF (x-ray fluorescence) analytical tool, and XRF studies of SES004, SES005, and SES007 are presently underway. The XRF results are considered informative and scientifically supportive to the study and interpretation of the Sesmarias system, but should not be confused with analytical results obtained from an accredited assay laboratory. The XRF study of SES003 indicated similar VMS mineralization to that of SES002, which was approximately six meters away at the intersection of mineralization at depth.

Geochemical and geological results from all the work, to date, indicate that massive sulfide mineralization at Sesmarias is hosted within a specific package of black shale rocks located within the general volcanic-sedimentary rock sequence where mineralization in the Pyrite Belt is typically found. The sulfide mineralization is fault-bound at both the upper and lower boundaries, suggesting that mineralization could be cut-off and moved laterally along strike, and/or vertically along dip, making exploration and delineation of a potential deposit difficult. However, successful identification of the target host package in this phase of the drilling is a significant and positive step forward for exploration in the Sesmarias area, and for other target locations within the Alvalade Joint Venture license.

Sesmarias intercepts and drill hole summaries:

Hole ID		Total Depth		Description
SES008		334.1 meters		Hole intersected 5.5 meters of massive sulfide mineralization and 27.6 meters of sulfides + black shales. Massive sulfide mineralization cut off by faulting at 309.1 meters depth. Additional, weak massive sulfide mineralization located between 276 and 303.6 meters.
Massive sulfide mineralization @ 303.6 - 309.1 meters, total of 5.5 meters
		Au (ppm)		Ag (ppm)	Cu (%)	Pb (%)	Zn (%)	Sn (%)	Co (%)
5.5 meters (303.6-309.1) @		1.17		36.8
	incl 3 meters (306.1-309.1) @	1.62		41.8
5.5 meters (303.6-309.1) @					0.59	0.88	1.41	0.045	0.01
	incl 5 meters (304.1-309.1) @				0.64	0.94	1.54	0.046	0.011
	incl 3.5 meters (304.1-307.6) @						2.05
SES007		279.7 meters		Hole intersected wide fault zone at 206 - 222 meters at predicted depth of potential massive sulfide mineralization; massive sulfide fragments observed in fault zone; no analyses
SES006		253.1 meters		Hole intersected 1.5 meters of massive sulfide mineralization at 208.6 - 210.1 meters, but cut off by fault, as in SES007.
Massive sulfide mineralization @ 208.6 - 210.1 meters, total of 1.5 meters
		Au (ppm)		Ag (ppm)	Cu (%)	Pb (%)	Zn (%)	Sn (%)	Co (%)
1.5 meters (208.6-210.1) @		0.22		54	1.66	2.3	3.66	0.091	0.1
SES005		320.3 meters		Strong sulfides and stockwork at predicted depth of potential massive sulfide mineralization, but zone appears to be cut by faulting, as in SES006 and SES007
SES004		183.9 meters		Hole collared underneath and drilled into the footwall of the Sesmarias system
SES003		160.2 meters		Vertical hole intersected 13.1 meters of massive sulfide miner-alization. However, the top of the intercept is located only six meters from the top of the SES002 mineral intercept and was not sampled by geochemical assay methods. The hole was used, however, for geophysical studies of the mineralization. XRF analytical results confirmed SES002 geochemical results.
SES002		274.7 meters		Initial intercept, as reported in earlier news release
Total mineralization zone @ 151.65 - 168.50 meters, total of 16.85 meters
SULFIDE TYPE		From- To		Cu %	Ag ppm	Pb %	Zn %	Sn %	Co %
Massive: 7.95 meters		151.65-159.60		2.21	89.8	3.05	4.82	0.15	0.084
Semi-massive/stockwork: 2.9 m		159.60-162.50		0.71	35.45	1.27	3.17	0.092	0.051
TOTAL		10.85 meters		1.81	75.27	2.57	4.38	0.13	0.075
		From- To		Cu ppm	Ag ppm	Pb ppm	Zn ppm		Co ppm
Weak/moderate stockwork: 6 m		162.50-168.50		4514	10.57	1886	4838		528

Note that at this time, true widths of the sulfide intercepts cannot be determined with the information presently available.

Plans for the next phase of exploration include 2,700 to 3,000 meters of drilling, with the first part of the program planned for potential extension of the Sesmarias system in both northwest and southeast directions, as well as for in-fill drilling between the SES006 and SES008 drill holes. This drilling program will commence in early June and should be completed in August, 2014.

Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, commented: "We are extremely excited about the Sesmarias potential. It appears possible that the Sesmarias area can host a large mineralization system, containing valuable concentrations of copper, zinc, lead, and silver, and potentially local concentrations of gold, tin, and cobalt. Further work is clearly justified, and Antofagasta has stepped up to fund further progress for the exploration program at Sesmarias, and on the Alvalade Project in general. We are looking forward to the startup of the next phase of drilling, scheduled for mid-June."

Notes on analytical methods and quality control. All samples were sent to the ALS Minerals sample preparation facility in Seville, Spain. ALS shipped the prepped material to their main European analytical laboratory located in Loughrea, Ireland. In the main massive sulfide zones, total copper, silver, lead, zinc, and cobalt results were obtained using a metals' extraction method developed specifically for analysis of massive sulfide mineralization. This includes metals' digestion by strong oxidizing agents, followed by analysis using the industry-standard technique of inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Total tin results were obtained using a lithium borate fusion with the addition of a strong oxidizing agent, and followed by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, performed in the ALS Minerals laboratory located in Vancouver, Canada. In the lower anomalous zone of SES002, all metals' results were obtained using a four-acid digestion, followed by ICP-AES analysis for near-total results in all metals, with the exception of tin, which was not re-analyzed due to low levels. In addition to ALS Minerals quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) of all work orders, the Joint Venture conducted its own standard, internal QA/QC from results generated by the systematic inclusion of certified reference materials, blank samples, and field duplicate samples. The analytical results from the quality control samples in the Sesmarias work orders have been evaluated, and conform to industry best-practice standards.

Antofagasta plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the FTSE-100 Index, and has significant mining interests in Chile. Antofagasta plc operates four copper mines: Los Pelambres, Esperanza, El Tesoro and Michilla. Total production in 2013 was 721,200 tonnes of copper, 9,000 tonnes of molybdenum, and 293,800 ounces of gold. Antofagasta plc also has exploration, evaluation and/or feasibility programs in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.

Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company focused on discovery, using a prospect generator model, of valuable mineral deposits in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany.

The Company currently holds 14 exploration licenses in three European countries, including eight in Portugal covering 2,951.6 km², five in Kosovo covering 153 km², and one in Germany covering 307 km². Avrupa operates three joint ventures and one exploration alliance in Portugal and Kosovo, including:

• The Alvalade JV, with Antofagasta, covering one license in the Iberian Pyrite Belt of southern Portugal, for Cu-rich massive sulfide deposits;

• The Covas JV, with Blackheath Resources, covering one license in northern Portugal, for intrusion-related W deposits;

• The Slivovo JV, with Byrnecut International, covering one license in central Kosovo, for gold and base metals related to carbonate-hosted massive sulfide deposits in the Vardar Mineral Trend; and

• The CalGen Exploration Alliance, with Callinan Royalties Corp., covering generative exploration throughout Portugal, and including specific prospect upgrade work on the Alvito IOCG license in southern Portugal.

Avrupa is currently upgrading precious and base metal targets to JV-ready status in a variety of districts on their other licenses, with the idea of attracting potential partners to project-specific and/or regional exploration programs.

On behalf of the Board,

Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director

This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.