Mr. Murry Braucht reports

VANCOUVER'S ST. ELIAS MINES OPENS DOORS IN CHINA

High-level business meetings between St. Elias Mines Ltd. and the Chinese government this week could pave the way for financing opportunities by investors in that country.

Two St. Elias representatives met with high-ranking Chinese officials and investors to discuss China's growing economy and its commodities interests globally. The visit included an official reception at the Great Hall of the People, the political hub of Beijing. St. Elias vice-president Murry Braucht and director Dr. Duncan Bain met on Monday with Dr. Yang Mengxin, director of the Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange and a highly respected Chinese investor and philanthropist. The meeting was followed that evening by a reception at the Great Hall of the People hosted by Peng Fang, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs for the National People's Congress.

The visit wrapped up Tuesday with a discussion about St. Elias's operations and development plans in Peru with Zheng Han, chair of Beijing Micro Cleaner Biotechnology.

The meetings, arranged by Launchpad Asia LLC, were crucial in establishing St. Elias as a bona fide operation for Chinese investors to consider, said Chad Lewis, Launchpad Asia's managing director of North America.

"By meeting with officials ranked this high in the system, we were able to secure approvals for investment companies across China to look at St. Elias for investment as well as secure approval to apply for listing in Asia," Mr. Lewis said.

The impact of the meeting was almost immediate, Mr. Lewis said. By the time the St. Elias delegation returned from its trip, Launchpad Asia had fielded more than two dozen inquiries from Chinese investment firms and brokerage companies seeking meetings with St. Elias.

"It fast-tracked efforts in China substantially," he said.

Mr. Braucht and Dr. Bain, who also travelled to China to attend a mining conference in Shenzhen, were hosted by Gilbert Chan of NAI Interactive, from Vancouver, Canada, prior to their time in Beijing with Launchpad Asia.

Mr. Braucht reported: "Launchpad Asia LLC and NAI Interactive have provided opportunities in China far beyond our expectations, for which we are deeply grateful. We, as representatives of St. Elias Mines, look forward to our future involvment with China with great anticipation, expecting benefits for all companies and individuals involved.

Dr. Bain stated: "This visit and the high-level contacts we have made through Chad Lewis at Launchpad China LLC and Gilbert Chan at NAI Interactive have opened many new doors for us throughout China. We look forward with great excitement to going back in the very near future to tell the St. Elias gold story to major Chinese investors."