VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/02/13

Aurizon Mines Ltd. (TSX:ARZ)(NYSE MKT:AZK) ("Aurizon" or the "Company") reports that during a routine evening inspection of the tailing ponds on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, at the Casa Berardi Mine, located approximately 95 kilometres north of the town of La Sarre, in the Abitibi region of northwestern Quebec, it was discovered that there was a breach of an internal tailings dyke which resulted in a surge of liquids and suspended solids over the external tailings dyke. A majority of the material was contained inside the tailings pond containment area and no further discharges into the environment have occurred. The Casa Berardi Mine has four tailings containment ponds and the material flowed from one tailings pond into another tailings pond, neither of which are in use for current operations.

On visual inspection by Aurizon personnel, a residual film of material has affected a limited surface area of outside the external dyke.

Environmental authorities were immediately notified and are presently on site. We do not expect there will be any impact on operations.

About Aurizon

Aurizon is a gold producer with a growth strategy focused on developing its existing projects in the Abitibi region of north-western Quebec, one of the world's most favourable mining jurisdictions and prolific gold and base metal regions, and by increasing its asset base through accretive transactions. Aurizon shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ARZ" and on the NYSE MKT under the symbol "AZK". Additional information on Aurizon and its properties is available on Aurizon's website at www.aurizon.com.

U.S. Registration (File 001-31893)

News Release Issue No. 23 - 2013

Contacts:
Aurizon Mines Ltd.
George Paspalas
President & CEO
604-687-6600

Aurizon Mines Ltd.
Martin Bergeron
Vice President Operations
819-874-4511 or 819-339-5621

Aurizon Mines Ltd.
Investor Relations
604-687-6600 or Toll Free: 1-888-411-GOLD (4653)
604-687-3932 (FAX)
jennifer.north@aurizon.com / info@aurizon.com
www.aurizon.com

Longview Communications
Trevor Zeck
(604) 375-5941

Longview Communications
Nick Anstett
(416) 649-8008