Production Results From Recenlty Opened Copper Mountain Mine

VANCOUVER - Copper Mountain Mining Corporation reported production results for the first quarter of 2012 from the recently opened Copper Mountain mine located in southern British Columbia.

The mine produced 13.7 million pounds of copper, 4,200 ounces of gold, and 96,400 ounces of silver during the first three months of operations in 2012.  Copper production is directly related to the mill throughput which continued to improve during the quarter. Since startup of production in September 2011 the mine had been averaging one shipment of concentrate per month to the smelters in Japan.  During the first three months of 2012 the mine completed a total of four shipments containing approximately 15.8 million pounds of copper, 5,800 ounces of gold, and 125,000 ounces of silver generating an estimated $69 million in gross revenue.

The mill treated a total of 2.1 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 0.377 %Cu during the first three months of operation of 2012. The Company has continued to experience higher than predicted precious metal production.  Production during the quarter continued to improve as SAG Mill operating time increased towards the end of the quarter reaching an average of 89.3% availability in March as compared to a budgeted availability of 92%. The Company continues its focus to reach the 35,000 tonnes per day design capacity rate on a consistent basis in the near term and reach the Company's production target of 85 to 90 million pounds of copper for 2012.

Mining activities averaged approximately 140,000 tonnes per day in the first quarter of 2012. The Company's recent addition to the fleet of equipment of five 260 ton haul trucks, one Hitachi EX5500 Hydraulic Shovel with a 27 m3 (35.5 cubic yard) bucket, one Pit Viper 351 Drill, and a Komatsu D375 dozer are now all fully operational as of the end of the first quarter. The addition of the extra mining equipment has assisted in increasing the mining capacity to the 160,000 tonne per day rate by the end of the quarter. The Company is presently reviewing its 2012 mine plane with a view of further optimization to maximize copper production.