Avrupa Starts Drilling on Alvalade JV Project in Portugal

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 18, 2012) - Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:AVU) is pleased to announce that drilling on the Alvalade JV Project in the Pyrite Belt of southern Portugal started this past week. Avrupa and joint venture partner Antofagasta Minerals SA ("AMSA") plan a 6-hole Phase 1 core drilling program. The initial drilling is expected to total approximately 3000 meters, with a further Phase 2 program of up to another 3000 meters expected to begin in early August 2012.

Phase 1 drilling will test six separate massive sulfide and stockwork mineralization targets in three general areas on the Alvalade and Canal Caveira licenses within the JV area. Phase 2 drilling will test other targets, as they are upgraded in the upcoming months, and follow-up potentially encouraging results from the first phase of drilling.

Exploration work within the 1000-km² JV area continues with new target generation in at least three belts of potential mineralization. The work program includes re-logging and sampling of core from previous exploration drilling projects of the past thirty years, re-interpretation of historical geophysical data, geological mapping where possible, and comprehensive compilation into a proprietary GIS-based data system. With this regenerated information, Avrupa and AMSA are applying a new, innovative geological model to assist in the mineral targeting process. In addition to identifying near-surface targets, the partners intend to use this process to also identify targets lying under relatively thick sedimentary cover.

Antofagasta Minerals SA ("AMSA") is the mining division of Antofagasta plc. Antofagasta plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE-100 Index, with interests also in transport and water distribution. Currently, AMSA activities are primarily concentrated in Chile where it owns and operates four copper mines: Los Pelambres, Esperanza, El Tesoro and Michilla. Total production in 2012 is expected to be approximately 700,000 tonnes of copper, 11,000 tonnes of molybdenum and 280,000 ounces of gold. AMSA 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 aggressive exploration, using a prospect generator model, for valuable mineral deposits in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany.

The Company has an exciting portfolio of exploration projects consisting of:

• Copper and Zinc in southern Portugal at Marateca and in the Alvalade JV project area located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, where Europe's richest active copper mine operates;

• Tungsten and Gold in northern Portugal at the Covas JV project area;

• Gold, Bismuth, and Tellurium on the newly issued Arga license, located in northern Portugal, adjacent to the Covas JV;

• Precious metal and REE potential in the Aljezur project area, south Portugal;

• Copper and Gold porphyry potential in southern Portugal in the newly issued Alvito project area;

• Silver, Lead and Zinc in Kosovo at the Glavej, Kamenica, Selac, and Bajgora properties in the Trepça Mineral Belt of the Vardar Zone, historically, Europe's most productive district for lead and zinc;

• Copper and Gold in southern Kosovo within the Koritnik exploration license area in the Sharr-Dragash intrusive complex;

• Gold in eastern Germany in the 307 km² Oelsnitz exploration license in the historic Erzgebirge Mining District, a 1000-year producer of tin, tungsten, silver, base metals, and uranium.

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.