News

• Drilling continues to demonstrate higher grade mineralization at Corani Este; 125m @ 5.2 opt Ag, 1.7%Pb, 2.1%Zn (in-fill hole) and 140m @ 3.3 opt Ag, 1.0%Pb, 0.5%Zn (step-out hole)
• Continuing higher grade intercepts suggest undiscovered source of mineralization under cover to north of Minas Corani and Corani Este; both still open
• Recent trenching exposes new mineralization under post-mineral cover northwest of Minas Corani
• Gold zone drilling shows continuity over 600 meters of the 1km anomaly; open to south. High grade veins in C-52; 4m at 38.6 g/t Au, 65 g/t Ag

Andrew Swarthout, President and CEO, stated "the positive drill results at Corani continue to speak for themselves. The deposit size continues to grow and new targets and extensions are being confirmed by trenching and drilling. Now that access has been opened up east of Corani Este and north of Minas Corani, drilling can begin to answer the major question of the ultimate size of the resource. The results from the gold zone have been a pleasant surprise, with potential for more size than originally anticipated. "

THE LATEST DRILL HOLE RESULTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

CORANI ESTE

CORANI MAIN

Note: Silver equivalent is calculated using current metals prices (Pb = $0.39/pound, Zn=$0.56/pound and Ag = $7/ounce); 1%Pb = 1.23 opt Ag equivalent; 1%Zn = 1.78 opt Ag equivalent (used only if Zn>0.5%)

GOLD ZONE

Note: Gold equivalent calculation using ratio of price/ounce Au:Ag= 55:1

*C-50 lost at 31.5 meters, see C-50-1

(Please refer to Bear Creek’s website at www.bearcreekmining.com for drill hole locations, trench assay maps, previously reported drill intervals and detailed assay results.

Please refer to http://www.bearcreekmining.com/i/pdf/Corani_Drilling_2006.xls for a summary of all reported intervals for the project.

To access the Corani drill hole map directly please refer to: http://www.bearcreekmining.com/i/pdf/2006-03-21_CDR.pdf

To access the gold zone map directly please refer to: http://www.bearcreekmining.com/i/pdf/2006-03-21_CGZ.pdf)

Four drills continue on the project with three dedicated to expanding mineralization at Corani Este, Minas Corani and Corani Main; the fourth rig continues to test the gold zone and its extensions. During the month of April, this fourth rig will begin to test the geophysical (IP) anomaly extending approximately 1 km south from the anomalous surfaces trenches at "La Curva" where Trench 24 identified > 1 opt Ag at the surface.

Corani Este - Mineralization remains open to the north where step out drill fences continue at 50m to 100m intervals. Drill hole C-59 (in progress) is encountering good mineralization and will extend the known strike length to a total of 800 meters of continuous, higher-grade mineralization; still open to the north. The last drill fence intersected 140 meters averaging 3.3 opt Ag (5.4 opt Ag equivalent). Importantly, access has now been completed to the east where mineralization remains open laterally, and four drill sites have been prepared for drilling March/April.

Minas Corani - Exploration drilling to the north under post-mineral cover advanced slowly this period due to construction of access. However, drill holes C-51 and 51A confirm that mineralization continues north under the post-mineral tuffs. The covered area to be explored north of Minas Corani is at least 500 meters wide containing several structures and areas of barite-bearing breccias that are continually being exposed by trenching through the post-mineral cover. Significantly, recent trenching (T-26 and T-27, assays pending) in the western part of the target area located 100 meters north of Trench 16 and drill hole C-6 (20m @ 4.5 opt Ag) has exposed the favorable tuff unit containing strong barite breccias and stockwork veining. The extensive target areas north and west of Minas Corani are very favorable for extending mineralization and adding new discoveries.

Corani Main - Drilling focused on defining the limits of mineralization for future resource estimate updates and exploration while access was being completed in the higher-grade, northern part of the district. In exploration drilling, drill hole C-54C located 250 meters laterally in the footwall zone intersected 56m @ 2.1 opt Ag, 1.7%Pb, and 1.2%Zn near the base of the volcanics above the sedimentary contact. Drill hole C-42A averaging 80m @ 2.7 opt Ag and 1.4%Pb extended mineralization 50m into the hanging wall.

Gold Zone - Twenty three additional holes tested extensions to the gold (+/-silver) mineralization along 600 meters of strike length. A total of thirty one drill holes have been completed to date with the weighted average for the intervals in 28 of these returning 22.3 m @ 1.68 g/t Au and 33.7 g/t Ag (2.3 g/t Au equivalent). Drill holes C-55, 55A and, 57 appear to be outside of the mineralized zone defined to date. Lead is present up to 3%; however, is generally <0.3%. Higher grade veins up to 4m @ 38.6 g/t Au and 65 g/t Ag occur in stockwork vein zones. Drill hole C-61 (in progress) is drilling a structural intersection which appears to be opening up potential. Additional potential is being explored in the hanging wall tuffs of the main structure where several samples collected by Rio Tinto from outcrops ranged from 1 to 3 g/t gold. Drilling continues on approximately 100 meter fences to test the 1 km long anomaly.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Andrew Swarthout - President and CEO, or Patrick De Witt - Investor Relations
Phone: 604-685-6269 Direct: 604-628-1111
E-mail: info@bearcreekmining.com
For further information, please visit the Company's website (www.bearcreekmining.com)

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 David Volkert, P.Geo., Bear Creek's Vice President of Exploration, who serves as the qualified person (QP) under the definitions of National Instrument 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 Cusco, 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. *Any reference to the potential quantity & grade of mineralization at Corani is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource on the property and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in discovery of a mineral resource on the property. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. 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.