VANCOUVER, June 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Bear Creek Mining (TSX Venture: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results for 43 additional diamond drill holes (4,567.8 meters) that will be incorporated into an updated resource/reserve estimation in the next month. Drilling at Santa Ana, a pure silver, heap leachable deposit capable of producing close to 5 million ounces per year (see news release dated 20 April 2009), now totals 64,761 meters in 393 drill holes including 45 holes engineering holes totaling of 4,303 meters. Santa Ana is located 200 kilometers south of the Company's world-class Corani silver-base metal deposit in southeastern Peru. Both projects are in the feasibility study stages. Highlights of this press release include:

    -   Feasibility Study on-track for September 2010.

    -   Infill holes are returning similar silver values to previous
        drilling; therefore, good conversion from inferred to M+I resources
        and mineable reserves is expected.

    -   Drill hole SA-227 intersects 34m @ 81.2 g/t Ag including 10m @
        140.4 g/t Ag.

    -   Drill hole SA-230 intersects 24m @ 64.6 g/t Ag, including 6m @
        185.0 g/t Ag.

    -   Drill hole SA-237 intersects 24m @ 86.8 g/t Ag.

    -   New style of base metal-rich (up to 3.6% combined Pb-Zn) + silver (up
        to 63 g/t) mineralization intersected in four drill holes (SA-221,
        222, 241, and 241A) at drilling margins, indicating additional
        potential towards the untested "North Anomaly".

    -   Mineralization remains open laterally and at depth.

Andrew Swarthout, President and CEO of Bear Creek, states "We are very pleased with the advances at Santa Ana. The data is indicating that our upcoming Feasibility Study will describe a project which exceeds the expectations presented in the April 2009 Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"). Additionally, there continue to be pleasant surprises as we perform step-out drilling in this large, unexplored district."

New drilling results are as follow. All intercepts are down-hole lengths and true widths have not been calculated.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Silver
    Drill                                          Interval (grams
    Hole     Azimuth Inclination Total  From   To     (m)    per
    #     (degrees) (degrees)  Depth   (m)   (m)    DTH   tonne) Lead  Zinc
                                  (m)                               (%)   (%)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-200      120       -70       99    76    99    21    37.6    1.1   0.9
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    includes                              76    86    10    54.8    0.5   1.0
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-201      120       -70    105.9    46    56    10    37.4    0.2   0.2
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-203      120       -70      120    50    84    34    22.7    0.3   0.8
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-204      120       -70    120.6    24    34    10    21.2    0.1   0.1
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-205      120       -70     99.5    16    32    16    75.1    0.4   0.4
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-206      120       -70    138.4     0    26    26    21.2    0.1   0.2
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    and                                   60    90    30    24.5    0.1   0.3
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-208      120       -70    118.5     0    30    30    43.7    0.3   0.2
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    and                                  102   112    10    34.8    0.2   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-209      120       -70      103     4    16    12    51.2    0.6   0.7
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    and                                   64    90    26    36.3    0.3   0.4
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-210      120       -70      123    70    82    12    29.5    0.2   0.4
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-211      120       -70    125.5    66   106    40    43.1    0.2   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    includes                              92   102    10    88.2    0.3   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-212      120       -70    130.5   110   122    12    75.5    0.5   0.7
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-213      120       -70      148   104   114    10    51.0    0.5   0.9
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-214      120       -70    124.8    50    68    18    38.8    0.2   0.3
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-215      120       -70      132     1    54    53    52.1    0.3   0.2
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-216      120       -70    110.4    20    34    14    60.4    0.3   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    and                                   72    92    20    44.0    0.8   0.6
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-217      120       -70    125.5    58    62     4   334.0    1.0   0.8
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    and                                   88   122    34    45.4    0.6   1.0
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-219      120       -70    103.2    64    74    10    37.2    0.2   0.4
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-221      110       -60      106    74   104    30    36.1    1.3   2.3
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-222      110       -60    108.6    18    50    32    48.8    1.2   2.0
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-223      110       -60     97.8     6    16    10    30.2    0.3   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-224      110       -60     68.2    22    30     8    72.8    0.5   1.0
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-226       90       -60       89    14    28    12    59.0    0.2   0.6
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-227       90       -60     77.3    18    52    34    81.2    0.4   0.7
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    includes                              18    28    10   140.4    0.3   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-228       90       -60     82.1    30    54    24    55.8    0.3   0.6
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-229       90       -60    115.5    52    70    18    55.4    0.3   0.6
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-230       90       -60     84.8     2    26    24    64.6    0.3   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    includes                               8    14     6   185.0    0.6   0.7
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-233       90       -60     78.8    24    38    14    46.0    0.1   0.3
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-234       90       -60     79.5    38    54    16    25.8    0.3   0.6
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-237       90       -60      110    30    54    24    86.8    0.3   0.7
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-238       90       -70    110.3    62    74    12    20.8    0.9   1.2
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-239       90       -60      108    26    38    12    25.2    0.4   0.8
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-240       90       -70      142    52    64    12    27.7    0.2   0.6
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-241       90       -70    152.6    36    56    20    28.6    1.4   1.3
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    and                                   86    98    12    63.5    2.1   1.2
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    and                                  116   132    16    47.4    0.3   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SA-241A     270       -70      115    66    96    30    62.7    1.1   0.5
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

(To access the silver drill hole map directly please refer to NTD: http://www.bearcreekmining.com/i/maps/santa_ana/2010-06-18_SADH.pdf). Holes SA-202, SA- 207, SA-218, SA-220, SA-225, SA-231, SA-232, SA-235 and SA-236 did not intersect significant mineralization which we define as a mineralized core length of 10m with a grade of 20 g/t Ag or higher.

Bear Creek recently completed a 43 hole program of infill drilling designed to convert inferred resources located within the north and south-southeast portions of the project into measured and indicated categories. The data is being incorporated into the block model for the preparation of a reserve estimation and mine planning to be included within the Feasibility Study expected to be completed in September. The results from the infill drill hole program are consistent with previous drilling, providing further confidence in the resource estimations. No drilling was performed in the central zone or higher-grade starter pits as these areas had previously been drilled at a more dense spacing adequate for a feasibility level reserve estimation. In addition to the 43 resource-model drill holes, 45 drill holes in the area of the pit, heap leach pad and waste rock facility were completed for engineering and hydrogeology for the design of these site facilities in the Feasibility Study.

The Company is very excited by the recent discovery of the new north-northwest extension mineralization in 4 holes (SA-221, SA-222, SA-241 and SA-241A). This new zone includes abundant fine sulfide mineralization containing higher lead and zinc (up to 3.6% combined lead/zinc) than is common in the central zone of the South Anomaly as well as silver mineralization up to 63 g/t Ag. The zone trends towards the Northern Anomaly which has been an exploration target for some time but to date has received only surface mapping and prospecting. The Company plans to expand exploration efforts in this area to identify targets for future expansions of the mine plan.

The Feasibility Study incorporating the latest metallurgical test work, updated resource/mineable reserve model, infrastructure requirements, capital and operating cost estimates, and environmental/social studies is on track for completion in September. The heap leach metallurgical test work being performed at McClelland Labs is proceeding as planned and the initial results are in line with previous test work showing that the Santa Ana ore responds very well to heap leaching recovery methods. The test work is in the final phase with column residues being screened and analyzed for total recovery determination and crush size optimization studies. Consistent with previous guidance, we expect the overall recovery of silver from the heap leach to be at least 70%.

Neither the 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.

Regulatory footnotes:

All of Bear Creek's exploration programs and pertinent disclosure of a technical or scientific nature are prepared by or prepared under the direct supervision of Marc Leduc, P. Eng., COO, Christian Rios, P.Geo. Exploration Manager and the President and CEO, Andrew Swarthout, P.Geo., who serve as the Qualified Persons under the definitions of NI 43-101. All diamond drilling has been performed using HQ diameter core with recoveries averaging greater than 95%. Core is logged and split on site under the supervision of Bear Creek geologists. Sampling is done on two-meter intervals and samples are transported by Company staff to Juliaca, Peru for direct shipping to ALS Chemex, Laboratories in Lima, Peru. ALS Chemex is an ISO 9001:2000-registered laboratory and is preparing for ISO 17025 certification. Silver, lead, and zinc assays utilize a multi-acid digestion with atomic absorption ("ore-grade assay method"). The QC/QA program includes the insertion every 20th sample of known standards prepared by SGS Laboratories, Lima. A section in Bear Creek's website is dedicated to sampling, assay and quality control procedures.

Certain disclosure in this release, including management's assessment of Bear Creek's plans and projects, constitutes forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to Bear Creek's operation as a mineral exploration company that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are disclosed in Bear Creek's continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators including its most recent annual information form, available on www.sedar.com. Bear Creek expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Bear Creek Mining Corporation