Far West Mining Ltd. Provides Update on Santo Domingo Project

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire - April 16, 2011) - Far West Mining Ltd. (TSX: FWM) announces that the copper metallurgical test work at SGS Lakefield is now complete. Locked cycle tests on a range of composites and 34 variability batch test results confirm the predictable metallurgical performance of the sulphide indicated resource.

Variability tests for iron recovery on a variety of composites continue to produce good results similar to previous tests.

Tests confirm the oxide composite representing 7% of the Santo Domingo indicated resource does not respond to sulphide flotation conditions.

The Company plans to collect additional geotechnical data for pit slope design which will delay completion of the pre-feasibility study until Q3 2011.


Copper Metallurgy

Far West ("the Company") contracted SGS Lakefield in Ontario to conduct metallurgical test work on sample material from the Santo Domingo deposit in support of the ongoing pre-feasibility study ("PFS") being undertaken by an independent engineering firm. Operating conditions were established using sea water with a composite sample designed to be representative of the first five years of production at Santo Domingo (see news release February 25, 2011).

Using these operating conditions, locked cycle tests were performed on three samples: a potential five-year pit composite, a magnetite composite and a hematite composite. The tests confirm that the Santo Domingo sulphide resource is capable of achieving good copper recoveries between 85% and 91% depending on head grade with good copper concentrate grades of plus 29%.

Using the same operating conditions, 34 variability samples reflecting the complete grade range and mineralization types anticipated within the resource were subjected to batch cleaner tests to further enhance the confidence in metallurgical performance and to develop a grade recovery curve for the project (see Figure 1). The recovery algorithm and the plant operating conditions developed during the test work program will be utilized in the ongoing PFS.

As anticipated in the Company's August 2010 NI 43-101 technical report, test work on a representative oxide composite of approximately 34Mt (7% of the 486Mt indicated resource base) has confirmed that this material does not respond to sulphide flotation conditions The report was prepared by Scott Wilson Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. and contains the Company's most recent resource estimate. For the purposes of the PFS, this material will be assumed to be placed in a stockpile until metallurgical testing can be conducted to investigate whether an alternate process option such as heap leaching can be employed.

The removal of the oxide material will reduce the amount of material available for pit optimization in the ongoing PFS from 486Mt to 452Mt. This material is located near surface and will likely impact potential recoverability of mineral resources when economic parameters are applied. The potential sulphide resource base is likely to be reduced when potential pit optimisation parameters are applied.

Completion of the PFS will be delayed until Q3 2011 due to requirements to collect additional geotechnical data for pit slope design.

To view Figure 1 accompanying this press release, please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/fwm416.jpg


Iron Metallurgy

Iron metallurgical test work continues on magnetic iron recovery in sea water. Testing of magnetic iron recovery (Davis Tube) was performed on the flotation tails from the 34 copper variability samples. The tests confirm the predictable nature of magnetic iron recovery. Larger scale LIMS (low intensity magnetic separation) test results from 11 variability tests have been received and are listed in Table 1.

The samples cover a wide range of iron grade (17.9% Fe to 54.6% Fe) and magnetite content (2.3% to 71.6%) from all mineralized zones at Santo Domingo. With the exception of one sample with a very low initial magnetite content (H18 which did not have sufficient magnetite content to recover to a concentrate at the scale of the test), all samples produced high grade concentrates with low levels of deleterious elements such as sulphur and copper (see Table 1). The resulting Blaine numbers are favourable for pelletizing purposes.

Additional tests on the iron metallurgy are ongoing. The Company will report results as they become available.

Table 1

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              Feed                           Concentrate
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                            Mass
              Fe     Mag     Rec.     Fe    SiO2           S      Cu
Sample         %       %       %       %       %           %       %  Blaine
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H18         17.9     2.3     0.0       -       -           -       -       -
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
H121        29.4    22.8    24.4    68.6    3.45       0.019   0.005    1478
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIN33       27.6    26.0    26.8    68.8    2.65       0.006   0.004    1410
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
H5          33.9    12.4    13.5    67.5     4.2       0.014   0.007    1206
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIM26       54.6    71.6    76.0    68.1    3.46   less than   0.003    1403
                                                       0.005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
M3          20.5    14.3    15.0    66.5    4.47   less than   0.004    1342
                                                       0.005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
M10         44.7    42.0    52.5    68.5    3.21       0.030   0.006    1396
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
H1          37.0     4.9     8.1    60.0    2.51       0.026   0.004    1655
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
HI27        36.8    13.7    15.9    66.2    4.67       0.078   0.017    1217
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
M9          32.9    31.0    32.3    69.2    1.91       0.023   0.004    1532
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
M13         40.5    15.0    15.4    68.2    2.36       0.039   0.015    1632
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The in-house qualified person responsible for the Project is Richard Zimmer, P. Eng., MBA, Chief Executive Officer, President and a director of the Company who has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

Far West Mining Ltd. is an international mineral exploration company engaged in the evaluation, acquisition, exploration and development of mining properties. The Company has current operations in Chile and Australia.


FAR WEST MINING LTD.

Richard N. Zimmer, P.Eng., MBA
President & CEO



For further information investors should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" or "forward looking information". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans" "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Certain information relating to metallurgical test work may be considered to be forward-looking information, as such information can be interpreted as a prediction of recovery rates which would actually be realized if and when a mineral project reaches the operational phase. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, scientific and technological factors, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

This press release uses the term "indicated resources". We advise U.S. investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian rules, it is not recognized by the SEC. "Indicated resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "indicated mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of a measured, indicated or inferred resource exists or is economically or legally mineable.

The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.



For more information, please contact

Far West Mining Ltd.
Richard Zimmer
(604) 602-9144
info@farwestmining.com
www.farwestmining.com