TNX TRX Gold Corporation

Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation (TSX: TNX) (AMEX: TRE) announces that the seventh tranche of the $3,000,000 private placement with Mr. James E. Sinclair announced January 2, 2009 has closed. Mr. Sinclair purchased 69,832 common shares at a purchase price of $5.37 per share.

With completion of this seventh tranche, Mr. Sinclair has completed $2,625,000 of the $3,000,000 private placement commitment.

Mr. Sinclair's total share placements to date aggregate $20,689,000.

Respectfully Submitted,
James Sinclair
James E. Sinclair
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact Investor Relations at 1-800-811-3855

Visit our website: www.TanzanianRoyaltyExploration.com

The Toronto Stock Exchange and American Stock Exchange have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors -- The United States Securities and Exchange Commission limits disclosure for U.S. reporting purposes to mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms on this news release, such as "reserves," "resources," "geologic resources," "proven," "probable," "measured," "indicated," or "inferred" which may not be consistent with the reserve definitions established by the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No. 001-32500. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

Certain information presented in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks inherent in mineral exploration and development, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any projected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are referred to our description of the risk factors affecting the Company, as contained in our Form 20-F, File No. 001-32500, for a more information concerning these risks, uncertainties, and other factors.

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Contact: Investor Relations 1-800-811-3855