Hunter Bay Minerals Announces Appointment of Mr. Keith Minty as Non-Executive Director

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 04/02/12 -- Hunter Bay Minerals plc ("Hunter Bay") (TSX VENTURE: HBY)(OTCQX: HTBNF) is pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr. Keith C. Minty, P. Eng. to its board in the capacity of Non-Executive Director. Since 2008, Mr. Minty has been the Chief Operating Officer for Thani Emirates Resource Holdings Ltd. and his appointment follows a significant increase in Thani Investment's holdings in Hunter Bay. Mr. Minty was previously South African Country Manager for Hunter Dickinson Inc.

Mr. Minty brings over 25 years of open pit and underground mine operational and project development experience with respect to gold, silver, base metals, platinum group metals and industrial minerals throughout North and Central America and Africa.

Dr. Chris Wilson, Hunter Bay's CEO, commented, 'we are delighted to welcome Mr. Minty to Hunter Bay's board. Keith brings very significant operational and development experience, proven over many years, in many different deposit types and styles, and his presence significantly strengthens the company's management. We are also delighted with the closer relationship that the company now has with the Thani Group'.

Since 1997 Mr. Minty has held corporate management and financial positions in companies listed on the Toronto and American exchanges, during which time he has helped to raise over $750 million through IPOs and financings. Mr. Minty is currently a member of several public and private company boards.

About Hunter Bay

Hunter Bay is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties located in Canada and South America. Hunter Bay currently owns a one-hundred percent (100%) interest in the Great Bear Lake Properties located in the eastern side of Great Bear Lake NWT, has an option to acquire up to an eighty percent (80%) interest in the Sela Creek Project located in Suriname and has an option to acquire a forty five percent (45%) interest in the net profits of the Fortuna Project located in the Nambija Gold District, Ecuador.

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