Copper Mine North of Ironwood Could Be Operational By 2013

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP, MI - Friday, March 6, 2009 - A full house showed up at the Gogebic Community College Cafeteria this evening to hear Bill Williams, Vice President of Corporate Development for the Orvana Minerals Corporation, explain his company's plan to open a mining operation just north of Ironwood.

Orvana Minerals Corporation is a Canadian mining and exploration company based in Toronto, Canada, involved in the evaluation, development and mining of precious and base metal deposits in the Americas. The Company owns and operates the Don Mario Gold Mine in eastern Bolivia. Orvana's long-term goal is to become a low cost, long-life, multi-mine gold and base metals producer in the Americas. Orvana's shares have been listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange since 1992 under the trading symbol ORV. According to the companies 2008 Annual Report, the company has very deep pockets with assets in excess of $120 million.

Back in September of last year, Keweenaw Land Association Ltd. announced that it had entered a mining lease agreement with Orvana Resources US Corporation. Keweenaw leased certain mineral rights in an area known as the 'Western Syncline,' located 20 miles northeast of Ironwood to Orvana. Orvana is referring to the leased area as the Copperwood Project. The project lies 19 miles southwest of the now-closed White Pine Mine, which produced over 1.7 million tons of copper between 1952 and 1996. Under the lease agreement, in consideration of certain lease and/or royalty payments, Orvana will have access to mineral rights on 771 acres for a period of time that is the later of 20 years or until Orvana ceases to be actively engaged in development, mining, or related operations on the property. Orvana has indicated that it will initially invest in environmental studies relating to water and other resources to prepare for the permitting process. In addition, Keweenaw has extended an exclusive option to Orvana to lease mineral rights on 2,382 acres in the general area of the current mining lease.

A complete report on tonight's meeting will be posted shortly.