Hunter Bay Minerals Announces Bulk Sampling Results from the Mazaruni and Puruni Permits

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 01/06/12 -- Hunter Bay Minerals plc ('Hunter Bay') (TSX VENTURE: HBY) is pleased to announce that it has completed a bulk sampling program of the alluvial tailings located within fourteen medium scale prospecting and mining permits in the Mazaruni and Puruni Mining Districts of Guyana (the 'Mazaruni and Puruni Permits').

An in-house designed and built wash plant was used to process 4400 tonnes (ca. 1700 m3) of material from two tailings fans at the Sourie permit. Production was 156 grams of gold which is equivalent to a recovered grade of 0.1 g/m3.

The wash plant processed close to its design capacity of 35 m3/hr with an operational availability of 96%. The wash plant produced a high grade gold concentrate comprising gold grains, well sorted fine magnetite sand, and lesser ilmenite, assorted heavy minerals and minor quartz. Bench-scale gravity tests and microscope studies of primary tailings material versus material discharged from the wash plant indicates that approximately 85-90% of gold grains greater than 75 microns were recovered.

The concentrate from the wash plant was cleaned using a spiral helix system and a magnetic separator to produce a very high grade concentrate which was smelted into a greater than 99% purity gold bar. Microscope studies of tailings derived from the spirals indicates that less than 2% of gold is lost during the concentrate cleaning process.

The recovered grade of the bulk sample was lower than expected. Microscope study of the primary fan material indicates that framboidal pyrite forms extensive coatings (cf. Figures 2 and 3) around the majority of gold grains from samples taken below the water table. Whilst gold is heavy (S.G. 19.35) and amenable to gravity concentration, pyrite is very light (S.G. 5.01), such that gold grains coated in pyrite will have an specific gravity that is not amenable to concentration using gravity processes.

Alluvial gold with framboidal pyrite overgrowths has not previously been reported in the geological literature. It appears that mercury used by artisanal miners forms thin veneers around gold grains resident in the tailings fans below the water table. This mercury veneer allows anoxic bacteria to colonise the surface of the gold grains and precipitate pyrite.

Overall the bulk sampling program completed to date indicates that the wash-plant and spiral helix concentrate cleaning facility operated to design capacity and demonstrated excellent recovery of free gold grains greater than 75 microns. A significant percentage of gold grains between 50 to 75 microns were also recovered. However, the plants were not capable of recovering gold grains coated in framboidal pyrite.

Of the fourteen permits within the Mazaruni and Puruni Permits, Hunter Bay has only completed bulk sampling on two fans within one permit. There remains a significant number of tailings fans untested within the permits. Hunter Bay is currently reviewing mining options for higher grade primary alluvial deposits, which may be solely operated by Hunter Bay, through a joint venture or as a retained interest.

Andrew Tunningley, MAusIMM(CP), a director of the Company, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved all technical information contained in this news release.

About Hunter Bay

Hunter Bay is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties located in South America and Canada. Hunter Bay's lead project is the Sela Creek Project, located in Suriname, which Hunter Bay has an option to acquire up to an eighty percent (80%) interest. Hunter Bay also owns a one-hundred percent (100%) interest in the Great Bear Lake Properties located in the eastern side of Great Bear Lake NWT and has a thirty percent (30%) interest in the net profits of the Fortuna Project located in the Nambija Gold District, Ecuador.

Hunter Bay also has the right to operate the alluvial tailings within the Mazaruni and Puruni Permits (the 'Mazaruni and Puruni Operating Rights'). The operation of the alluvial tailings will be done under a 70/30 joint venture with the vendor of the Mazaruni and Puruni Operating Rights and will be subject to a 15% royalty payable to the owner of the Mazaruni and Puruni Permits.

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Hunter Bay cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Hunter Bay's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Hunter Bay's ability to complete future bulk sampling programs on the alluvial tailings within the Mazaruni and Puruni Permits, Hunter Bay's limited operating history; the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations; and potential defects in title to Hunter Bay's properties. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially form the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Hunter Bay undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

To view Figures 1-3, please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/hb16.pdf

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Hunter Bay Minerals plc

Christopher Wilson

CEO and President

(+44) 207-127-9125