Montero and Mintek Agree to Collaborate on Further Hydrometallurgical Testwork Programs Advancing the Understanding of Rare E...

Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MON) announces that it has come
to an agreement to collaborate with Mintek, an internationally recognized
metallurgical research and testwork facility in Johannesburg, South Africa, to
further develop and optimize the Montero Stage 1 leaching process. These efforts
will yield an improvement in the economics of the Montero process as well as
assisting Mintek's program of developing its proprietary technology for the
refining and separation of rare earth elements.


Mintek will continue Montero's bulk leach test program at a pilot plant scale to
verify and optimize the leaching process already developed by Mintek and Montero
for the Wigu Hill Rare Earth Element ("REE") Project. In return, Montero will
provide Mintek with a bulk sample from the Wigu Hill Deposit to be used by
Mintek as part of Mintek's program to develop its independent, proprietary
refining technology for producing individually separated REE products. 


Mintek will in effect be conducting two parallel testwork programs - the first
specific to the Wigu Hill Deposit and using conventional, non-proprietary
refining technology; the second being Mintek's proprietary process in the early
stages of development. Mintek will compare the two technologies as part of the
program and, if Mintek's proprietary technology offers benefits to Montero, the
parties will investigate ways in which Montero might access the Mintek
technology. 


Through this collaboration with Mintek, Montero expects to get early insight
into alternative, innovative refining technologies. 


Dr. Tony Harwood, President and CEO of Montero commented, "By collaborating on
Mintek's program of developing new and innovative process routes for separating
Rare Earth Elements, Montero expects to increase its options to ultimately adopt
the refining strategy that extracts maximum value from its REE project. Mintek's
proven track record of success in the development of new technologies for the
refining of metals, we expect that this development will allow Montero to
continue on our strategy to become a low cost Rare Earth producer."


About Montero Mining & Exploration

Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. is a mineral exploration and development
company engaged in the development of its flagship Rare Earth Elements (REE)
Project Wigu Hill in Tanzania, with phosphate assets in South Africa and uranium
assets in Tanzania and Quebec, Canada. The flagship Wigu Hill REE Project is a
high-grade, undeveloped Light Rare Earth Element deposit, where the current
focus is a fast track strategy to advance a portion of the large deposit to the
mining and production stage in the short-term whilst defining a larger deposit
and further advancing the hydro-metallurgical testwork with Mintek. With China's
control over export quotas, it is becoming imperative that the rest of the world
develops new rare earth resources to meet the increasing demand from "green"
technology and high-tech applications. Montero has a highly experienced Board
and Management team that has built and operated mines and refinery operations
that brings significant credibility to our strategy of becoming a rare earth
chemical producer.


About Mintek 

Mintek, South Africa's national mineral research organization has over 25 years
experience in REE extraction and is one of the world's leading technology
organizations specializing in mineral processing, extractive metallurgy and
related areas. Working closely with industry and other R&D institutions, Mintek
offers a complete range of process development services, from preliminary
bench-scale investigations to large-scale piloting and integrated flowsheet
development in support of bankable feasibility studies. Comprehensive laboratory
and piloting facilities for sample preparation, comminution, flotation, physical
separation, smelting, leaching and metal recovery and purification are supported
by internationally accredited analytical laboratory and mineralogical services.
For further information on Mintek, please visit www.mintek.co.za.


Signed. Dr. Tony Harwood - President and CEO

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: This News Release includes certain "forward-looking
statements". These statements are based on information currently available to
the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet
management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and
statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals,
including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated
condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by
such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could",
"would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they
involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among
other things, results of exploration, project development, reclamation and
capital costs of the Company's mineral properties, and the Company's financial
condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently
anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: changes in general
economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand
and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other
judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and
operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the
Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not
exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking
statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers
should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The
Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be
made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance
with applicable securities laws.