Lydian Receives Land Status Change Approval for Amulsar Gold Project; Armenia

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 3, 2011) - Lydian International Ltd. (TSX:LYD) ("Lydian" or "the Company"), a gold-focused mineral exploration and development company, today announced that the Armenian authorities have approved the change of land status from agricultural to industrial at its Amulsar gold project in Armenia. Amulsar is a high-sulfidation style gold project which currently hosts a CIM compliant combined Indicated and Inferred Category Resource of 2.5 million ounces at 1.0g/t gold (1.1 million ounces at 1.1 g/t gold in the Indicated Category and 1.4 million ounces at 0.9 g/t gold in the Inferred Category).

The change of land status from agricultural to industrial is a significant step in Armenia's mine permitting process. Two regional governors and eight separate government ministries were involved and cleared the Company's land status change application, submitting this to the Prime Minister's office. The application was duly approved under the new regulation of the Cabinet promulgated in April of this year.

The land status change at Amulsar applies to the Company's current mining license surface allocation area which incorporates the proposed open pit area at Tigranes and Artavasdes and also covers pit extension areas at Erato and Arshak.

"This is a major event for us and an indication of Armenia's willingness to support foreign investment" said Tim Coughlin, Lydian's President and CEO "We remain on schedule with our aim to be in production in 2014 and this approval means the Company can commence construction, pre-stripping and stockpiling of run of mine ore as scheduled in 2012".

About Lydian International

Lydian is a gold-focused mineral exploration and development company with expertise employing "first mover" strategies in emerging exploration environments. Currently Lydian is focused on Eastern Europe and on developing its flagship Amulsar gold project in Armenia. The Amulsar group of licenses is wholly owned by Lydian's Armenian subsidiary (Geoteam CJSC). Lydian also has a pipeline of promising early-stage gold and base metal exploration projects in the Caucasus regions.

Lydian's management team has a track record of success in grassroots discovery, in acquiring and developing undervalued assets, and in building companies. Lydian has a strong social agenda and a unique understanding of the complex social and political issues that characterize emerging environments. The Company's significant shareholders include the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which is a member of the World Bank Group and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). More information can be found on Lydian's web site at www.lydianinternational.co.uk.

Dr Tim Coughlin, BSc, MSc (Exploration and Mining), PhD, MAusIMM; is the Qualified Person overseeing Lydian's exploration programs. Dr. Coughlin has supervised the preparation of the technical information contained in this press release.

Lydian employees are instructed to follow standard operating and quality assurance procedures intended to ensure that all sampling techniques and sample results meet international reporting standards. All assay work for the released results was carried out by ALS Chemex analytical laboratory in Rosia Montana, Romania. More information can be found on Lydian's web site at www.lydianinternational.co.uk.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release may contain certain information that constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan," "expect," "project," "intend," "believe," "anticipate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data, fluctuating metal prices and other factors described above and in the Company's most recent annual information form under the heading "Risk Factors" which has been filed electronically by means of the Canadian Securities Administrators' website located at www.sedar.com. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.