Forte Energy New Limited (ASX/AIM: FTE)

?         Resource drilling programme completed along a 2.5 km section of a 5km long uranium anomaly at Firawa.

?         Planned 4,000m diamond core drilling programme extended to +5,800m due to positive results encountered in some areas where no mineralisation was previously indicated.

?         Mineralisation remains open East and West of the drilled area.

?         Down-hole radiometric logging commencing shortly.

?         Assay samples currently being dispatched to Canada for analysis.

?         Results expected to enable delineation of an initial JORC Code compliant resource.

International uranium company Forte Energy NL (ASX: FTE, AIM: FTE) is pleased to announce completion of the resource drilling programme which commenced in October 2008 at its Firawa Uranium Project in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa.

This programme follows up the Company's successful 1,800m reconnaissance R/C drilling campaign at Firawa carried out in May 2007 which delineated a potentially significant zone of uranium mineralisation over a 2km strike length.

An initial programme comprising 50 drill holes for 4,000 metres of predominantly in-fill drilling was initially planned at 100 metre intervals, with drill spacing reduced to 50 metres where good results were observed.

In the course of drilling, highly encouraging results based on handheld scintillometer readings from core samples were observed in some areas where no mineralisation was previously indicated. This resulted in a decision to significantly extend the programme by undertaking over 1,800m of additional drilling, for a total of around 5,850m.

A total of 56 holes were drilled to depths of between 80 and 154 metres, generally inclined at 50?. The drilling, which targeted a 2.5km section of a 5km uranium anomaly, was aimed at enabling estimation of an initial JORC code compliant uranium resource for the Firawa Project.

Diamond core drilling was planned partly due to the difficulties encountered with the previous R/C drilling campaign due to the thick lateritic clay coverage extending in some places to depths of up to 100 metres. Drilling commenced in late October with initial delays experienced due to the difficult clay conditions encountered, which led to the use of an additional machine.

Fig.1   Diamec drill site at Firawa

All drilling is now complete and assay samples are being dispatched to Canada with results to be released when available. PVC casing was installed down the holes before the steel casing was removed to keep the holes open to enable down-hole radiometric logging to be carried out. This will commence shortly.

In addition to the down-hole logging, a differential GPS toposurvey will also be carried out as well as collection of samples for Ore Process Assays at Lakefield laboratory in Canada.

Drilling at the eastern end of the target area was expected to confirm the end of the mineralised zone. However, good results observed from the easternmost holes indicate that mineralisation remains open in this direction. The mineralised zone also extends to the west of the drilled area, although the difficult terrain encountered prevented further drilling to extend the zone during the current programme.

Fig.2   Firawa drilling programme, October 2008

The uranium mineralisation follows an east-west trending tectonic structure, interpreted as a fault zone, over a distance of approximately five kilometres.

Fig.3   Core samples showing radioactive mylonite in dolerite

Mineralisation was previously only observed in the lateritic clay. However, two of the recently completed drill-holes intersected mineralisation in fresh bedrock. It was previously feared that the mineralisation in clay had been derived from pegmatite. However observations from the latest drilling indicate a more encouraging view of the mineralisation. The bedrock consists of an alkaline strongly cataclastic granite. It has been intruded by dolerite and later sheared causing mylonite zones. The best bedrock mineralisation is in a mylonite but also the cataclastic granite is in part mineralised.

Fig.4   Location of Forte Energy's Guinea Projects

The Firawa Project is the most advanced of Forte Energy's three uranium exploration projects in Guinea. The completion of the resource drilling marks a further significant milestone for the Company, laying the foundations for its maiden JORC resource estimate, which is expected to be completed by the end of March 2009.

Mark Reilly

Managing Director

Note:

The information in this report that relates to exploration results in West Africa is based on information compiled by Mr. Bosse Gustafsson, who is a member of the European Federation of Geologists a Recognised Overseas Professional Organisation ("ROPO"). Mr Bosse Gustafsson is a full time Technical Director of Forte Energy NL and is responsible for exploration activities in Mauritania and Guinea. Mr Gustafsson has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and the type of deposit under consideration and to the activity, which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the 'Australian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve'. Mr Gustafsson consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

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