NICKEL-COPPER MINING: Shakespeare production begins

ONTARIO - URSA Major Minerals of Toronto has begun mining ore at its Shakespeare nickel-copper open pit mine 70 km west of Sudbury. Company CEO Richard Sutcliff pointed to rising metals prices and labour stability at Xstrata as reasons toward commercial production.

URSA plans to deliver 200,000 tonnes of ore to Xstrata's Strathcona mill in Sudbury this year. The company says it expects that amount of ore should produce 1.1 million lb of nickel, 1.7 million lb of copper, 55,700 lb of cobalt, and 3,100 oz of precious metals in concentrates.

The most recent reserve and resource estimates are available at www.URSAMajorMinerals.com.