MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Sept. 9, 2010) - SEMAFO (TSX:SMF) today announced results from its delineation reverse-circulation ("RC") drilling program on the Kona Zone confirming the continuity of the mineralization at the Company's Mana Mine in Burkina Faso. The Kona Zone is located immediately northeast and on-strike with the Wona open pit.

Reverse-circulation drill holes MRC10-136 to MRC10-171 cover the Kona mineralization over a strike length of one kilometer, using 50-meter interval spacing. Results confirm the continuity of the mineralization over the entire strike length with local wide and higher grade intervals including 4.44 g/t Au (5.83 g/t uncut) across 21 meters. These results will be included to the resource estimation and the economic portion in the mine plan.

The delineation drilling program includes 36 RC holes totaling 5,380 meters (holes MRC10-136 to MRC10- 171).

Kona Zone RC Drilling Results

Recent drilling focused on delineating previously identified potential to upgrade the resource category, with additional potential still to be investigated further to the northeast as well at depth (Figure 1). Hole MRC10-026 drilled earlier this year on section 19100 N (northeast of the delineated section of the zone) returned 2.89 g/t Au across 3 meters. This interval suggests that the gold bearing Wona Corridor continues past the delineated zone with the potential to identify additional resources.

The parallel zones associated with the Kona Zone also returned significant results, particularly in the southwest part of the drilled area. The proximity of these zones to the main structure will undoubtedly add to the Kona Zone resource base.

Parallel Zones RC Drilling Results

The exploration programs were designed and managed locally by Dofinta Bondé and David Lalonde, Mana Mineral's Exploration Chief Geologists and Richard Roy P Geo, Deputy Geology Manager, and guided and supervised under the direction of Michel Crevier, P.Geo MScA, Geology Manager and SEMAFO's Qualified Person who has reviewed this press release for accuracy and compliance with National Instrument 43-101.

All individual samples represent approximately one-meter in length of rock chips homogenized and riffle-split to an approximately 2-kilogram sub-sample, which is sent for preparation and gold assaying at the ALS Chemex laboratories in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Each sample is fire-assayed for gold content on a 50-gram sub- sample at the same ALS Minerals laboratories. In addition to ALS Minerals' own QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) program, an internal quality control and quality assurance program is in place throughout the sampling program, using blind duplicates, blanks and recognized industry standards.

About SEMAFO

SEMAFO is a Canadian-based mining company with gold production and exploration activities in West Africa. The Company currently operates three gold mines: the Mana Mine in Burkina Faso, the Samira Hill Mine in Niger and the Kiniero Mine in Guinea. SEMAFO is committed to evolve in a conscientious manner to become a major player in its geographical area of interest. SEMAFO's strategic focus is to maximize shareholder value by effectively managing its existing assets as well as pursuing organic and strategic growth opportunities in West Africa.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "estimation", "will", "potential", "still", "further", "additional", "committed", "evolve", "become", "pursuing", "growth" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include the ability of the parallel zones associated with the Kona Zone to add to the Kona Zone resource base, the ability to execute on our strategic focus, fluctuation in the price of currencies, gold or operating costs, mining industry risks, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral reserves and resources, delays, political and social stability in Africa (including our ability to maintain or renew licenses and permits) and other risks described in SEMAFO's documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in SEMAFO's 2009 Annual MD&A, as updated in our 2010 First Quarter MD&A and 2010 Second Quarter MD&A and other filings made with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. These documents are also available on our website at www.semafo.com. SEMAFO disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

Figure 1 is available at the following address: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Semafo_figure1.pdf