2009 News

Vancouver, British Columbia, December 31st, 2009. Candente Resource Corp. (DNT:TSX and BVL) ("Candente Resource") and Candente Gold Corp. ("Candente Gold") are pleased to announce the closing on December 30th of three tranches totalling $9,028,130 in the previously announced private placement offering of common shares of Candente Gold (the "Financing").

Exploration will commence in January on the El Oro property in Mexico. A program of underground drifting and drilling will target extensions to high-grade ("bonanza") shoots in the San Rafael Vein, which produced in excess of 4 million ounces of gold and 44 million ounces of silver historically from the uppermost 150 to 250 metres. The El Oro veins are believed to be similar to those in other mines in Mexico, such as: Pinos Altos, Fresnillo and Guanajuato, where gold and silver occurs over 600 to 900 metres vertically.

Candente Gold will start trading on the TSX under the symbol of "CDG" on January 4th, 2010 (the Ex-Distribution Date). Candente Resource will change its name to Candente Copper Corp. on December 31st, 2009. "Shareholders of Record" of Candente Resource as at the close of business on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 (the "Record Date"), will be issued one common share of Candente Gold for every five common shares of Candente Resource held as of the Record Date. In order to be a Shareholder of Record on the Record Date, Candente Resource shares must be acquired by December 31st 2009. This is in accordance with the Plan of Arrangement details of which are contained in the June 16th 2009 and July 8th, 2009 news releases of Candente Resource and Candente Gold.

A total of 22,570,325 units have been sold in the Financing. Each unit consists of one common share in the capital of Candente Gold ("Share") and one-half of one share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will be non-transferable and exercisable for a period of 24 months (until January 4th 2012) to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.60 per Share.

All Shares issued pursuant to the Financing will be subject to a four month hold period to May 5, 2010. Insiders have purchased 4.4% of the units issued pursuant to the Financing.

Candente Gold has paid to agents assisting with the financing a total of $294,138 in cash commissions and 735,345 in Broker warrants which equal 6.5% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the units the finders each made pursuant to the Financing, together with broker's warrants to purchase that number of units that is equal to 6.5% of the aggregate number of units they sold pursuant to the Financing. Each broker's warrant is exercisable for a period of 24 months to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.60 per Share.

The net proceeds of the Financing will be used to fund exploration and development activities on the El Oro gold-silver property in Mexico, Candente Gold's portfolio of earlier stage gold-silver properties in Peru and for general corporate purposes.

Mark Pryor, Pr.Sci.Nat., Independent Consultant and Joanne C. Freeze, P.Geo., President and CEO, are the Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and have reviewed and approved the contents of this release.

About Candente Resource Corp and Candente Gold Corp.
Candente's Management Teams and Boards of Directors are senior mining industry executives with a track record in the discovery and development of copper, gold and silver deposits. Candente subscribes to principles whereby exploration and development activities are consistent with best practice and beneficial to the local communities.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Candente relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO U.S. INVESTORS
We advise U.S. investors that this news release uses terms which are not recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including "mineral resources", "measured resources", "indicated resources" and "inferred resources". The estimation of measured and indicated resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that mineral resources in these categories will be converted to reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically mineable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that mineral resources in any of these categories will be converted into reserves.

For further information please contact:
Walter Spagnuolo
Investor Relations
Phone: + 1 (604) 689-1957
Email: communications@candente.com

Joanne C. Freeze, P.Geo.
President & CEO

Sean Waller, P. Eng.
Vice-President

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