Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation Grants Stock Options

Toronto, Nov. 18, 2010 - Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE: ATM) (“Atacama Pacific“ or the “Company“) announces it has granted an aggregate of 1,116,000 options of which 810,000 were granted to directors and officers and 306,000 were granted to consultants of the Company.

Each option entitles the holder to acquire one Atacama Pacific common share at an exercise price of $3.00 until November 16, 2015.


About Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation

Atacama Pacific's principal business is the acquisition, exploration and development of precious metals resource properties in Chile. Atacama Pacific began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange on November 12, 2010 upon closing a $28,750,000 initial public offering. The Company's principal mineral property is the Cerro Maricunga oxide-hosted gold project, located in Region III, 140 kilometres by road northeast of the city of Copiapo. Atacama Pacific's goal is to become a producer of gold through the exploration and development of the Cerro Maricunga Project. Atacama Pacific also owns four other mineral properties within close proximity to the Cerro Maricunga Project and a fifth property in Chile's Region I.

The securities referred to in this press release 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 unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities within the United States.


FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements, including predictions, projections and forecasts. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to completion of economic assessments, exploration results, the success of exploration activities generally, mine development prospects, and future gold production Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans“, “planning“, “expects“ or “does not expect“, “continues“, “scheduled“, “estimates“, “forecasts“, “intends“, “potential“, “anticipates“, “does not anticipate“, or “belief“, or describes a “goal“, or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may“, “could“, “would“, “might“ or “will“ be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the results of due diligence activities, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of gold; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in Atacama Pacific's publicly filed documents. Although Atacama Pacific has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES



For more information, please contact

Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation
Carl B. Hansen, President and CEO
416 861 8267
chansen@atacamapacific.com
www.atacamapacific.com