07.10.2010 22:00:00

International Minerals Announces Additional Drilling Results from Goldfield Project, Nevada.

International Minerals Corporation (Toronto stock exchange: IMZ)(Swiss stock exchange: IMZ) reports additional results from its ongoing reverse circulation ("RC”) drilling program at the Goldfield Main deposit at its 100%-held Goldfield gold project in southern Nevada. The Goldfield project was acquired as part of IMZ’s takeover of Metallic Ventures Gold Inc. ("Metallic”), which was finalized in February 2010.

Highlights from this drilling program (representing estimated true widths in meters ("m”) and uncut gold grades in grams per tonne ("g/t”)), include the following intercepts:

  • 35.1m at 3.2 g/t in 2010-017, including 13.7m at 6.3 g/t
  • 19.8m at 1.3 g/t in 2010-018
  • 15.2m at 2.3 g/t in 2010-021
  • 35.1m at 2.0 g/t in 2010-022
  • 22.9m at 1.2 g/t in 2010-024
  • 32.0m at 2.5 g/t in 2010-027, including 7.6m at 6.7 g/t
  • 18.3m at 9.4 g/t in 2010-032, including 6.1m at 27.2 g/t
  • 24.4m at 1.8 g/t in 2010-032
  • 21.3m at 2.2 g/t in 2010-074
  • 21.3m at 2.0 g/t in 2010-081

Note: Some of the above highlighted drill holes include zones of low-to-average grade material from the backfill in historical mine workings, but are predominantly in-situ mineralization.

Significant widths and gold grades were encountered in drilling through the backfilled areas of the historical mine workings suggesting that good-grade material was used to backfill those mined-out areas. IMZ is constructing a detailed computer model of these backfilled workings in order to quantify their volume and grade as they may have a significant positive impact on the economics of a potential mining operation at the Goldfield Main deposit.

Highlights of the results from drill intersections in backfilled areas are shown below:

  • 25.9m at 1.0 g/t in 2010-029
  • 6.1m at 12.3 g/t in 2010-029
  • 30.5m at 1.8 g/t in 2010-030
  • 21.3m at 1.6 g/t in 2010-036
  • 15.2m at 3.3 g/t in 2010-044
  • 19.8m at 1.3 g/t in 2010-052

Assay results for all 27 RC drill holes totaling 5,268m are summarized in Appendix 1 and shown on the plan map in Appendix 2. IMZ has now reported drill results for a total of 58 RC drill holes totaling 12,035m. See IMZ’s news release of August 25, 2010 for the previous 31 drill holes at the Goldfield Main deposit.

Goldfield Main Deposit

The Goldfield Main deposit is one of three principal mineralized areas that have been evaluated on the property over the past two decades. The other deposits are Gemfield and McMahon Ridge (See Appendix 2)

Gold mineralization at the Goldfield Main deposit occurs primarily as narrow, high-grade veins, within tabular, gently-dipping, lower-grade mineralized zones. The majority of gold produced historically from the Goldfield district was mined from these high-grade veins but more recent open-pit production was sourced from the near-surface lower grade mineralized zones. Reported production from the district from 1903 to1960 is estimated to be 4.2 million ounces of gold at an average grade of approximately 18 g/t.

16 of the 27 drill-holes for which results have been received to date have extended the known mineralization at Goldfield Main and are expected to increase the existing NI 43-101 compliant resource base of approximately 242,000 Measured and Indicated gold ounces and 80,000 Inferred gold ounces (see tonnage and grade details below).

The other 11 drill-holes are located within the existing resource at Goldfield Main. Mined-out areas (generally 2-5m wide) encountered in the drilling program (designated as "Voids” in Appendix 1) are intercepts of old mine workings.

These new results continue to confirm that the mineralized bodies at the Goldfield Main deposit extend down-dip to the east, with many of the assay results indicating gold grades significantly higher than the average grade of the current mineral resource estimate (see below). The historical underground workings extend up to an additional 700m east of the eastern extent of the current IMZ drilling program (see Appendix 2), indicating the potential for a significant increase in mineral resources at the Goldfield Main deposit.

Goldfield Project – Overall 2010 Drill Program

This initial RC drilling program (approximately 20,000m in 93 drill holes) is designed to both increase the confidence level of the mineral resource base at the Goldfield Main deposit as well as expand the existing resource base. The drill program is part of a feasibility study with a targeted completion date in late 2011. In addition, IMZ expects to announce an updated mineral resource estimate for the Goldfield Main deposit before the end of the first calendar quarter of 2011.

A core rig will start drilling soon in order to (a) obtain samples for metallurgical testwork; (b) "twin” (duplicate) several RC holes in order to compare assay results and geological interpretation; and (c) to verify that IMZ’s identification in certain drill holes of backfilled material from old mine workings is correct as it is often difficult to distinguish between friable, or highly broken, in-situ rock and backfilled material.

In other parts of the Goldfield District (outside of the three principal deposits) three additional drill targets have been developed. Approximately 5,000m of RC drilling is planned for these areas in the coming months.

Goldfield Project - NI 43-101 Mineral Resources

The previous NI 43-101 compliant independent mineral resource estimates for the Goldfield Main deposit are 242,000 ounces of Indicated resources, contained in 6.0 million tonnes ("Mt”) at a grade of 1.2 g/t gold and 80,000 ounces of Inferred resources, contained in 1.9 Mt at a grade of 1.3 g/t gold.

Combined with the Gemfield and McMahon Ridge deposits, the current total resource estimate for the overall Goldfield project comprises 1,068,000 ounces of Measured and Indicated resources, contained in 28.8 Mt at a grade of 1.2 g/t gold and 105,000 ounces of Inferred resources, contained in 3.0 Mt at a grade of 1.1 g/t gold. The cut-off grade used was 0.34 g/t gold.

Mineral resource estimates at the Goldfield project have been conducted separately for the Goldfield Main deposit and the Gemfield/McMahon Ridge deposits: at Goldfield Main the mineral resources were estimated in 2002 by Mine Development Associates, with Scott Hardy, P. Eng, Neil Prenn, P. Eng and Steve Ristorcelli, R.P.Geo as the Qualified Persons ("QP’s”); at Gemfield and McMahon Ridge the mineral resources were estimated in 2005 by Watts, Griffis and McOuat, with John R. Sullivan, P.Geo as the QP.

General

Sample preparation and analytical work for the Goldfield drilling program were carried out by Inspectorate Labs in Sparks, Nevada, an ISO 9001:2008 certified laboratory which employs industry-standard analytical methods. As part of IMZ´s QA/QC protocol, standard samples and blanks were inserted into the sample processing stream at a rate of one per 10 samples. Duplicate and alternate laboratory check samples also form part of this sampling protocol. The technical disclosure including drill results in this news release has been reviewed by IMZ’s Qualified Person, Exploration Manager, Mark Cannuli.

About International Minerals

International Minerals is a silver-gold producer, explorer and developer with silver-gold production from its 40%-owned Pallancata Mine in Peru, one of the top-10 primary silver mines in the world. Production of approximately 10 million ounces of silver and 33,000 ounces of gold (on a 100% project basis) is estimated by IMZ for calendar year 2010.

In addition to the Pallancata Mine, IMZ also controls a 70% interest in the Inmaculada gold-silver project in Peru and majority or 100% ownership interests in development stage gold projects in Nevada (Goldfield and Converse) and Ecuador (Rio Blanco and Gaby). IMZ also receives a 3% net smelter return ("NSR”) royalty from Barrick Gold’s Ruby Hill gold mine in Nevada, which produced approximately 100,000 gold ounces in 2009.

IMZ is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (since 1994) and the Swiss Stock Exchange (since 2002).

Cautionary Statement:

Some of the statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian securities law requirements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding estimates of resources and time lines for drilling programs and feasibility studies. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties such as risks of estimating mineral resources, delays in exploration programs and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended June 30, 2010, which is available at www.sedar.com under the Company’s name. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Appendix 1: Goldfield Project - Goldfield Main Drill Results

IMZ News Release dated October 7, 2010

             
Drill Hole  

Section
Number

 

Type

 

Total
Depth
(feet)

 

Intersection From-
To
(feet)

 

Intercept
(feet)

 

Intercept
(meters)

 

Gold
(g/t)

2010-014   10700       880   620-630   10   3.0   0.77
2010-017   10900       680   450-565   115   35.1   3.2
            Including:   450-495   45   13.7   7.3
                615-645   30   9.1   0.7
2010-018   10900       800   110-135   25   7.6   0.6
                550-615   65   19.8   1.3
        Stopefill   Including:   605-615   10   3.0   2.4
2010-021   11100       680   420-455   35   10.7   2.0
                495-510   15   4.6   0.7
                545-595   50   15.2   2.3
        Stopefill       575-585   10   3.0   0.8
2010-022   11100       750   285-295   10   3.0   0.8
                455-470   15   4.6   1.6
                580-695   115   35.1   2.0
        Stopefill       630-675   45   13.7   0.9
2010-024   11200       450   255-330   75   22.9   1.2
        Stopefill   Including:   255-265   10   3.0   1.3
        Stopefill   Including:   310-315   5   1.5   1.1
                355-390   35   10.7   1.8
2010-026   11200       720   530-555   25   7.6   1.8
                645-670   25   7.6   1.7
2010-027   11200       655   535-650   105   32.0   2.5
        Stopefill   Including:   540-560   20   6.1   2.2
            Including:   590-615   25   7.6   6.7
2010-028   11200   Stopefill   630   510-535   25   7.6   1.0
2010-029   11200   Stopefill   650   430-530   85   25.9   1.0
        Void       455-460   5   1.52    
        Void       515-520   5   1.52    
                565-610   45   13.7   6.5
        Stopefill   Including:   565-585   20   6.1   12.3
2010-030   11200   Stopefill   600   360-380   20   6.1   1.5
        Stopefill       410-510   100   30.5   1.8
        Stopefill   Including:   415-455   40   12.2   2.8
2010-031   11300       550   400-410   10   3.0   0.9
        Stopefill       450-485   35   10.7   1.1
2010-032   11300       600   260-320   60   18.3   9.4
            Including:   260-280   20   6.1   27.2
                390-475   80   24.4   1.8
        Stopefill   Including:   390-420   30   9.1   2.5
                520-540   20   6.1   1.3
2010-036   11300   Stopefill   660   500-575   70   21.3   1.6
        Stopefill       630-655   25   7.6   1.1
2010-037   11300       640   265-275   10   3.0   1.2
                415-520   105   32.0   2.2
        Stopefill   Including:   415-435   20   6.1   3.1
2010-038   11400   Stopefill   340   255-290   35   10.7   1.2
2010-041   11400       860   705-745   40   12.2   0.6
2010-042   11400       780   640-660   20   6.1   0.9
                710-720   10   3.0   1.6
2010-043   11400   Stopefill   665   585-615   30   9.1   2.4
2010-044   11400       660   585-655   70   21.3   2.6
        Stopefill       585-635   50   15.2   3.3
2010-052   11500   Stopefill   700   475-540   65   19.8   1.3
        Stopefill       650-665   15   4.6   1.2
2010-072   12300       380   90-120   30   9.1   0.7
2010-074   12300       750   380-450   70   21.3   2.2
            Including:   380-415   35   10.7   3.2
2010-076   12500   Dump   400   0-20   20   6.1   1.3
2010-077   12500       450   No Significant Values
2010-080   12300   Dump   800   0-15   15   4.6   0.7
                405-485   80   24.4   1.2
            Including:   430-440   10   3.0   2.2
            Including:   455-465   10   3.0   3.4
2010-081   12300       550   185-265   70   21.3   2.0
            Including:   225-240   15   4.6   6.3

Note: "VOID” indicates zone where old mine workings were intersected in the drill hole and therefore no sample was recovered. "Stopefill” is where old mine workings were intersected and mine back fill was recovered and sampled. "Dump” is historically mined material that is stored on the surface either as stockpiles of old waste dumps.

Due to the high grade nature of the intersection drill hole 2101-035 will be twinned with a core drill hole to confirm intersection. The core drilling will also be used to confirm the presence and continuity of historical stopefill, which can at times be difficult to identify from RC chips.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6460300&lang=en

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