All Required Regulatory Approvals Obtained for Norilsk Nickel Offer for LionOre

OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel ("Norilsk Nickel" or the "Company") today announced that with the receipt of Investment Canada approval yesterday in respect of its all-cash offer for all of the issued and outstanding shares of LionOre Mining International Ltd ("LionOre") (Toronto Stock Exchange symbol: "LIM"; London Stock Exchange symbol: "LOR"; Botswana Stock Exchange symbol: "LIONORE") all regulatory approvals required in connection with Norilsk Nickel's offer have now been obtained.

Denis Morozov, the Company's General Director, stated today that "Norilsk Nickel is pleased to have completed successfully the process of receiving all required regulatory approvals within such a short timeframe. We look forward to LionOre shareholders tendering their shares before the expiration of our offer on June 28, after which Norilsk Nickel intends to complete the acquisition of all outstanding shares of LionOre".

On May 23, 2007, Norilsk Nickel announced its increased all-cash offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of LionOre for aggregate cash consideration of approximately Cdn$6.8 billion. The offer is open for acceptances until 8:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on Thursday, June 28, 2007. All acceptances must be received prior to this time.

Full particulars of the offer are set out in the offer and offering circular as amended by the notice of variation and notice of extension, each as filed by Norilsk Nickel. These documents are available on the Canadian Securities Administrator's website at www.sedar.com under LionOre's company profile, and on the Company's website at www.nornik.ru/en.

Sterling Finalizes Preparations for Upper Mine Exploration Cross-Cut

Sterling Mining Company (OTCBB: SRLM - News) today reported that Sterling crews are preparing for continued development of an exploration cross-cut, at an elevation of 2,672 feet, east of the historic Polaris Mine workings in the upper mine area of the Sunshine Mine.

The cross-cut's advance was interrupted briefly upon the completion of the Sterling Tunnel Project to allow geologists to map and evaluate newly exposed structures and make a smooth transition from contractor to in-house mining. The cross-cut is designed to probe unexplored projections of the Sunshine vein system east of the known production areas and, at the same time, provide a platform for diamond drilling into the Yankee Girl vein some 1,200 feet south of the Sunshine system. Zones of alteration and mineralization have been identified and are being studied to guide exploration efforts.

"We are working to open up a stretch of ground that had multiple siderite-quartz veins on the Polaris Mine 900 level, some 100 feet above us," stated Jeff Moe, Sunshine Chief Geologist. "This work also puts us within striking distance of the Yankee Girl vein which our drilling probed from the Silver Summit side in 2006 and which is unexplored out in front of us for a strike length of over 3,000 feet."

Advancing the cross-cut is expected to resume in early July and is only one of the several major projects that are unfolding simultaneously at the mine.

Sterling Mining Company's workforce at the Sunshine Mine has grown to 66 full-time employees, and is projected to reach over 100 by the end of this year as production resumes, currently forecasted for no later than December 2007.

Source : biz.yahoo.com/bw

Wega Mining ASA to make investment of up to C$10 million in Tagish Lake Gold Corp

Wega Mining ASA and Tagish Lake Gold Corp. (TSX-V: TLG - News) announced today that they have entered into a subscription agreement pursuant to which Wega Mining has agreed to make an equity investment of up to C$10 million in Tagish Lake Gold Corp.

Under the terms of the subscription agreement, Wega Mining's investment will be structured as follows:

- Wega Mining will make an initial investment (subject to, among other
things, receipt of any required regulatory approvals and customary
closing conditions) of approximately C$2,000,000 consisting of Units at
a price of C$0.20 per Unit; and

- Wega will make a second investment of approximately C$8,000,000
consisting of Units at a price of C$0.20 per Unit.


Each Unit will consist of one Common Share and one Warrant. Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one Common Share on or before the 2nd anniversary of the date of issue at an exercise price of C$0.30 per share subject adjustment in accordance with its terms. The Units will separate into Common Shares and Warrants immediately upon issuance. All securities to be issued will be subject to a hold period of four months from the respective closing date in accordance with the rules and policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities laws.

The closing of the initial investment is expected to occur upon receipt of the requisite approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The closing of the second investment is expected to occur on or about August 9th , 2007 subject to, among other things, completion of a due diligence review by Wega Mining, receipt of all required regulatory, stock exchange and shareholder approvals and other customary closing conditions.

The proceeds of the equity investment will be used by Tagish Lake Gold Corp. to complete the "Skukum Creek Deposit Exploration & Feasibility Program" during the balance of 2007. Exercise of the warrants will be instrumental in providing the financing to bringithe deposit to production by 2009.

Following the closing of the two transactions, Wega will own 50 000 000 common shares of Tagish Lake Gold Corp. representing approximately 35 % of the issued and outstanding shares or 45 % fully diluted when the warrants are exercised. Effective as of the closing date of the second investment, the board of directors of Tagish Lake Gold Corp. will be comprised of six directors, two of whom will be nominees of Wega Mining. Thereafter, as long as Wega Mining owns at least 17.5% of the outstanding common shares, it will be entitled to nominate a number of directors for election that is proportionate to the percentage of common shares held by Wega Mining.

Robert Rodger, President of Tagish Lake Gold Corp states: "We are pleased that Wega Mining ASA has joined with Tagish to move the Skukum Creek project to production. With financing available, the Company can focus its efforts on the work on the high grade Skukum Creek gold-silver deposit as well as advancing the other gold deposits on the Skukum property."

"Adding Tagish Lake to its Western Canada project portfolio, Wega Mining will leverage its development and project organisation, to bring all three deposits (two deposits held by Merit Mining Corp) to commercial production over the next two years. In total, Merit Mining and Tagish Lake are set to produce at least 200,000 oz per year of gold and gold equivalents from the end of 2009 and 300,000 oz per year from 2011" said Lars Marius Furu, CEO of Wega Mining ASA.

Tagish Lake Gold Corp. is a TSXV listed company (TLG) which explores for and develops high grade gold-silver mineral deposits in the Yukon Territory of Canada. The Company is currently focused on its wholly owned, 178 km2 Skukum Mineral District located 80 km by road south of Whitehorse. The Skukum Mineral District hosts the Skukum Creek gold-silver deposit and the Goddell Gully gold deposit, and the Mt. Skukum gold deposit.

Wega Mining ASA is an Oslo-based international mining company focused on exploring, developing and operating gold, copper and zinc deposits. The company currently holds exploration licenses in Guinea, Canada, Portugal, Ecuador, Romania and Norway, and a gold-copper development project in Canada. It trades on Oslo Axess, an exchange regulated by the Oslo Stock Exchange, under the ticker WEMI. Further information can be accessed at www.wegamining.com.

Bear Creek drilling and new sampling expands silver mineralization on its 100% owned Santa Ana project, Peru

Bear Creek Mining (TSX Venture: BCM - News; "Bear Creek" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from thirteen additional diamond drill holes (Phase 3 drilling) and results from soil/rock chip grid sampling on the extreme north and south ends of the area drilled to date at its 100% owned Santa Ana silver project. Santa Ana is located 200 kilometers south of the Company's Corani silver-base metal deposit in southeastern Peru. Drilling at Santa Ana now totals 7,501 meters in fifty-five drill holes. Highlights of this press release include:

- Drill hole SA-26A intersected mineralized volcanics with 128
meters @ 48 g/t Ag, including 14 meters @ 84 g/t Ag and 30
meters @ 91 g/t Ag.

- Higher grade intervals intersected in SA-25 and SA-26; 4 meters
@ 119 g/t Ag and 10 meters @ 95 g/t Ag, respectively.

- Mineralization extended 350 m to the north and 400 m to the south
through soil and rock-chip grid sampling, increasing the target
size by 50%.

- Mineralization remains open with strong vectors for extension in
three directions plus at depth.

Andrew Swarthout, President and CEO of Bear Creek, states "The continuing positive results from Phase III underscore the potential for intersecting blind, higher-grade silver mineralization within the extensive volumes of lower grade silver halo at Santa Ana. The latest drilling and grid sampling significantly expands the footprint of mineralization and defines additional untested high grade zones that will likely contribute significant value to the discovery. Importantly, oxide mineralization continues to dominate; a factor that bodes well for the excellent leaching characteristics indicated by early metallurgical testing. We are expanding the Phase III drill program, as well as continuing our aggressive metallurgical test program. Mineralization remains open in all directions. A second drill has been requested in order to advance drilling towards the project's first resource estimation by year-end."

Mr. Swarthout continues "The drill is currently working to the north within the newly discovered soil/rock-chip grid anomaly approximately 150 meters north of the farthest north hole (SA-22) and a second platform an additional 150 meters north is next in line. Assay results from these holes will be reported as they become available in the coming weeks. Additional soils and rock geochemical sampling within the district is expected to further extend the target areas."

For detailed news : biz.yahoo.com/prnews

Explorator Resources Receives Exchange Approval on Venus-Marcelo Claim Block Acquisition, Files NI43-101 Report

Explorator Resources Inc. (CDNX:EXO.V - News) is pleased to announce that it has received TSX Venture Exchange approval for the recently announced acquisition of the Venus-Marcelo mineral claim block (see Press Release dated May 15, 2007). The company has also received the NI43-101 Report on the property, which has been filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).

With the acquisition of the Venus-Marcelo concessions, Explorator now controls a single, contiguous block covering an area totaling over 1100 hectares, or 11 square kilometers, when combined with El Espino. (see Figure 1) The concessions are located near Illapel, Chile, a mining area with excellent infrastructure and extensive existing and historical small-scale gold and copper production. Venus-Marcelo hosts six small operating copper-gold mines. High grade ore mined from Venus-Marcelo is currently direct-shipped to the nearby Ventanas Smelter for processing.

"We are very pleased to complete the acquisition of the Venus-Marcelo block" noted David O'Connor, President and CEO of Explorator Resources. "Combining Venus-Marcelo with our El Espino concession creates a much larger and more exciting opportunity to explore and develop a project of scale that has extensive historical exploration data and a long history of copper and gold production."

O'Connor added that "the NI43-101 technical report is very encouraging as the sampling shows that the mineralized structures on which the small operating mines are developed contain higher grade copper and gold mineralization than we anticipated and are over substantial thicknesses, confirming our opinion of the excellent potential to outline a significant gold, copper or copper-gold deposit on the Venus-Marcelo Project. Additionally, these steeply dipping structures are interpreted as being mineralized feeders, which expand the potential of the El Espino zone controlled by Explorator for a distance of two kilometers further north on this undrilled area, adding considerably to the overall potential tonnage of copper-gold mineralization and expanding the project considerably in excess of the estimates based on drilling made for the El Espino block."

The style of mineralization at Venus-Marcelo and El Espino is characteristic of deposits found elsewhere within the Coastal Cordillera of Chile, such as Phelps Dodge's Candelaria and Anglo American's Mantos Blancos. The Venus-Marcelo block is a direct northward continuation of the El Espino mineralized system. Explorator acquired the El Espino project on January 29, 2007. Following the recent completion of a successful 10-hole, 2000m diamond drill Phase One program (see Press Releases April 30 and May 23, 2007) the company has commenced a 25,000 m Phase Two drilling program at El Espino (see Press Release June 6, 2007). The company intends to move quickly to carry out a Phase One exploration program on the Venus-Marcelo block.

The NI43-101 report on Venus-Marcelo was prepared by Mr. Douglas Currie, MAusIMM, of Gwynva Resource Management, a Qualified Person, (as defined under NI43-101). Mr. Currie has reviewed the contents of this press release and has given his consent for inclusion of extracts from his report herein.

Copper and gold mineralization in the Venus-Marcelo / El Espino district extends for almost 5 km long N/S by 1 to 2 km wide E/W in a NNW trending zone that extends across the two property boundaries. Within the Venus-Marcelo Project area, mineralization is primarily associated with narrow, high grade, quartz veins and silicified fractures related to NE trending faults and shear systems. The steeply dipping mineralized veins, locally stockworked, are interpreted to be the feeders to the stratabound mineralization. The style of mineralization is characteristic of Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) deposits found elsewhere within the Coastal Cordillera of Chile.

Although there are no production records available, the numerous small and several extensive underground workings are indicative of substantial historical copper and gold production generally from oxidized, near-surface mineralization. Production grades are estimated at 2-6% Cu and 3-6 g/t Au. Production samples taken by Mr. Currie in April 2007 from the six active tribute mines on the Venus-Marcelo concessi centsns ranged from 1.24% Cu to 3.82% Cu and are considered representative of the potential copper oxide grades which have historically prevailed on the property.

Samples collected by Mr. Currie of historical dumps and current mine stockpiles and across the visually mineralized structures returned assay results as were expected with a good correlation between visual copper estimates and actual assay grades. The copper grade of the mine dumps sampled ranges from 1.63% to 29.1% Cu; this reflects the relative grade of the veins and possibly also the degree of high-grading being practiced by the local cooperativista miners. Gold grades received ranged from background levels to 41.3g/t Au, with 25% of the samples having gold values greater than 1.0g/t Au.

Only minimal modern exploration has been performed on the Venus-Marcelo Project area and there has been no drilling. ENAMI (La Empresa Nacional de Mineria), the Chilean National Mining Company, in 1994 estimated "reserves" of 1,032,500 tonnes at an estimated grade of 2.0% Cu and 3.5 g/t Au. ENAMI also reported an additional "resource estimate" of 1.5 million tonnes at an estimated grade of 0.6% Cu at the Milagros SW zone, at the southern end of the property, with the potential for rich lenses ( greater than 2% Cu) within the zone. The calculations are based on underground mapping and channel sampling and past production data available to them at the time. ENAMI only included potential mineralized zones which were accessible from existing development and did not project mineralized zones to depth. Explorator has not done sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources and as such, Explorator is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources and cautions investors not to rely upon these historical estimates.

Source : http://www.ccnmatthews.com/docs/exploratormap.pdf