Tri-River reports 2009 exploration results at its Lianlong Poly-metallic
Project, China

VANCOUVER , Jan. 4 /CNW/ - Tri-River Ventures Inc. (TSX-V: TVR) is pleased to report the results of its 2009 exploration program at its Lianlong Poly-metallic Mineral Property ("Lianlong Property") in Sichuan province, China .

The Lianlong Property covers an area of 8.87 km(2) located at the prolific Three River Mineralization Belt on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Widely spaced surface trenching along the four mineralized zones are indicative of potentially economic grades, especially in Zone I, which has been traced for 440 meters along strike. Assay results from trenching at Zone 1 were reported to contain 6.29 m (approximately true width) averaging 2.86% Cu, 153.6 g/t Ag, 5.38% combined Pb and Zn, and 1.11% Sn. For details, refer to the National Instrument 43-101 compliant technical report on the Lianlong Property filed by Tri-River on SEDAR.

The 2009 exploration program was designed to test the continuity of mineralization at depth of the two identified mineralized zones (Zones I & II), where significant high grade intercepts of massive sulphides were exposed by surface trenching.

At Zone I, a horizontal underground adit was excavated approximately 40 meters below the surface, and successfully intercepted the high grade massive sulphide mineralization at 185 meters from the audit portal. Chip samples across the true width of the mineralization were taken by Tri-Rivers employees and were assayed at the Southwest China Metallurgical and Geological Testing Institute laboratory in Chengdu , China .

    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    from    to      width   silver   zinc   lead   copper    tin    tungsten
    m       m       m       g/t      %      %      %         %      %
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    185.0   185.8   0.80    80.30    10.81  0.39   0.58      1.40   0.24
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    185.8   186.5   0.70    19.70    2.42   0.11   0.17      0.38   -
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

To check the results of the Tri-River sampling, Peter Folk , P. Eng. re-sampled a 0.5 m section at the same location and had the results assayed both at the laboratory in Chengdu and also at Inspectorate IPL laboratory in Richmond , B.C. with the following results

    
    Ag=78.6 g/t
    Cu=0.57%
    Pb=0.42%
    Zn=11.45%
    W=0.24%
    Sn=1.31%
    

Results from the Chengdu laboratory and the laboratory in Richmond are consistent.

A true width of 5 meters of mineralization was also intercepted at 230 meters from the adit portal. At this location the mineralization is weak, however, with only minor amounts of metal encountered.

The Company plans to follow up the above two identified veins with underground drifting along strike in the company's 2010 exploration program. With the initial success in its 2009 exploration, the company plans to increase its exploration expenditure in 2010 to include other sub-parallel zones (Zones II, III and IV).

Jiemin Wu, Vice-President of Exploration, directed onsite activities at the Lianlong Property, and Peter Folk , P.Eng., provided oversight of the 2009 exploration program. Mr. Folk is an independent "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has verified the technical content of this news release.

About Tri-River

Tri-River is a Canadian based exploration company focussed on acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties. The Company is currently exploring its 95% owned Lianlong mineral property in Sichuan province, China . Tri-River's shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol TVR.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations. Forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties about Tri-River's business are more fully discussed in Tri-River's disclosure materials under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Tri-River's MD&A, Financial Statements and other periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators and on SEDAR. The Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

For further information: Y.B. Ian He, Tri-River Ventures Inc., Chief Executive Officer, [phone]