Rio Cristal Resources Corporation (TSX VENTURE:RCZ)(BVLAC:RCZ) ("Rio Cristal" or
the "Company") today provided a corporate progress report including activities
at its three exploration projects: Bongara, La Cumbre and Condor.


Bongara Zinc Project

Thomas Findley, President & CEO said, "I am pleased to report that we have
started a new drilling campaign at our flagship Bongara project in northern
Peru. The campaign will have two parts: in-fill drilling to establish a resource
of zinc oxides at our Cristal project and initial drilling at our Florida
project to discover deeper zinc sulfides."


At Cristal the Company is building on 4,200 meters of drilling completed in 2008
which produced excellent results (see news release dated October 15, 2008):




--  Drill hole CR07 - 58.7 meters of 10.0% zinc 
--  Drill hole CR11 - 10.3 meters of 21.1% zinc 
--  Drill hole CR13 - 14.5 meters of 14.7% zinc 
--  Drill hole CR14 - 12.5 meters of 26.1% zinc 
--  Drill hole CR18 - 21.7 meters of 22.0% zinc 
--  Drill hole CR20 - 15.5 meters of 29.5% zinc 



The Company has contracted Energold Drilling Corporation to undertake a 4,000
meter program at Cristal and drilling is now underway. The average depth of each
hole is expected to approximately 120 meters. The 4,000 meter number is a
minimum and Rio Cristal will drill more if the weather cooperates later in the
year. As soon as a resource is established, the Company will begin studies to
determine the best way to process the oxides.


The second part of our program for 2011 is initial drilling at the Company's
Florida project located in the southern part of the Rio Cristal's 18,000
hectares of concessions. Surface exploration results were very encouraging in
2008 but to-date no drilling has taken place. The Florida project boarders on an
advanced zinc exploration project managed by Votorantim Metais which has
reported outstanding results to-date (see Solitario Exploration & Royalty Corp.
news release dated 12/21/10). The Company believes that the zinc sulfide
deposits discovered by Votorantim trend directly beneath Rio Cristal's
unexplored concessions at Florida.


Findley said, "We have hired BISA (Buenaventura Ingenieros S.A.) to undertake a
rigorous two-month field exploration program to identify the most prospective
drill targets at Florida. While the field work is taking place, we will begin
the permitting process for adrilling program. Our plan is to start a 2,000 meter
drilling program in the third quarter of this year and, similar to the Cristal
program, we will continue drilling if the weather permits."


La Cumbre Copper Project

Rio Cristal's preliminary review of its La Cumbre copper project indicates
potential for bulk-mineable copper oxide mineralization grading in excess of 2%
copper. Additionally, there is potential for copper sulfide mineralization as La
Cumbre is located within a very prospective belt hosting significant iron oxide
copper deposits. Extensive recent underground workings indicate a possible
resource located at surface which could be rapidly quantified with potential for
extending mineralization laterally and at depth. 


Tom Findley stated, "The Company has begun the necessary exploration permitting
process and has solicited bids from several drilling contractors. We expect to
begin a 2,000 meter drilling program at La Cumbre in the second quarter of this
year. If high-grade oxides are present as we expect, we will immediately begin
studies to process those oxides in order to generate cash flow to finance
deeper, more extensive drilling at La Cumbre."


Condor Gold Project

The Company now has completed a 1,796 meter drilling program at its Condor gold
project near Nazca, Peru. Despite excellent surface indications of gold
mineralization and encouraging results from the first holes drilled into the
main geochemical anomaly, further drilling indicates that the size and grade of
the intersected mineralization do not meet the Company's investment
requirements. Relatively small, dispersed lens of gold were discovered with
limited continuity. No additional drilling is warranted and Rio Cristal will
cancel its option agreement on the Condor project. 


Financial Status

The Company currently has approximately US$5.0 million dollars in cash available
for its exploration programs. Drilling and other exploration activities at the
Bongara and La Cumbre projects are expected to cost an estimated US$3.5 million
which will leave the Company with a cash balance to begin next year's
exploration.


About Rio Cristal Resources Corporation

Rio Cristal Resources is a Canadian corporation focused on the discovery and
further development of zinc, copper and gold deposits in Peru. The Company's
shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Venture Segment and the Bolsa
de Valores de Lima (Lima Stock Exchange).


Information about Rio Cristal Resources Corporation can be found on the
Company's website, www.riocristalresources.com.  


This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable
Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of
historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation,
statements regarding potential exploration results, future plans and objectives
of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and
uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate and actual results and future results, events and objectives could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from Rio Cristal's
expectations include exploration and other risks detailed from time to time in
the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. 


This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an
offer to sell any securities in the United States. The securities have not been
and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be
offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered
under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an
exemption from such registration is available.