Anvil Mining Produces First Copper Cathodes at Kinsevere Stage II Project

TSX, ASX: AVM
Common shares outstanding 157.3 million

MONTREAL, May 9 /CNW Telbec/ - Anvil Mining Limited (TSX, ASX: AVM) (the "Company"), is pleased to announce the first production of copper cathode at its flagship Kinsevere Stage II Solvent Extraction and Electro-winning ("SX-EW") mine located in the southern part of Katanga Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC").

A total of 36 tonnes of copper cathode was harvested on May 4, 2011 and total copper cathode production to date amounts to 230 tonnes. The SX-EW section has been fed by copper solution from both heap-leaching and the first copper circuits.

In mid-April, irrigation of the heap-leach (on floats from the Stage I heavy media separation processing), which contains approximately 3% Acid Soluble Copper, commenced and resulted in the production of copper bearing pregnant liquor solution ("PLS") within two days. The off-flow PLS grade from the heap-leach circuit is exceeding expectations and currently ranges from 9 to 10 grams of copper per litre.

On April 24, the first Solvent Extraction ("SX") circuit commenced operation on the PLS produced from the heap-leach and within three days, sufficient copper units had been transferred to the Electro-winning ("EW") circuit to enable the rectifier to be energized. Copper plating commenced on April 27.

Separate from the processing of the heap-leach material, the crushing, grinding and leaching circuits commenced operation on April 27. The circuit was run for an initial testing period of 17 hours after which a stoppage for routine testing was taken. The crushing and grinding circuits recommenced operation on April 28 with PLS production from an abridged copper circuit being achieved on the same day. Since early May the crushing and grinding operations have been running within a 75% to 85% range of design capacity and are expected to reach full design capacity in the near future. The operating performance to date of the SX and EW circuits is pleasing.

Commissioning and ramp-up of the Stage II plant is an ongoing process that is expected to take several months to complete, however both the heap-leach circuit and the first SX circuit are performing well. The second SX circuit has now been handed over by the engineering, procurement and construction contractor, with commissioning expected to commence during May. While there are a number of construction and commissioning activities ongoing, the Company expects the commissioning to be substantially completed by the end of the second quarter and with the support of our commissioning management group, it is anticipated that design capacity will be achieved during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Darryll Castle, President and CEO of Anvil, commented: "The start-up of Kinsevere Stage II operations marks a significant milestone for Anvil. With the construction phase almost completed and commissioning progressing at a pleasing pace, the focus is firmly on the ramp-up to reach a production rate of 5,000 tonnes of copper cathode per month. I would like to extend my gratitude to our Congolese and expatriate employees, as well as our contractors and sub-contractors. I am especially proud of the remarkable safety record since the construction of the Kinsevere Stage II SX-EW plant commenced almost 18 months ago. With over 1,200 employees and contractors on site during the peak construction period, and over three million site man-hours expended, there have been only two lost-time injuries reported to date."

"It is also appropriate at this time to acknowledge the efforts and tenacity of Bill Turner. He has worked relentlessly in the DRC for over 15 years in order to achieve the exploration successes which have resulted in the development and construction of three mines in the DRC, including our flagship Kinsevere copper mine. Without the efforts, vision and dedication of Bill, this achievement would not have been possible."

Photographs of the Stage II SX-EW plant and its operation are available on Anvil's website at www.anvilmining.com under the heading "News Releases" within the Investor Relations section

Anvil Mining Limited is a copper producer whose shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (as Common Shares) and the Australian Securities Exchange (as CDIs) under the symbol AVM.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information", based on assumptions and judgements of management regarding future events and results. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information may include, but is not limited to the operation of the Kinsevere SX-EW plant, and the completion of construction and commissioning of the Kinsevere SX-EW plant. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Anvil and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "is expecting", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. The purpose of such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information is to provide the reader with information about management's expectations and plans for the Kinsevere SX-EW plant. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements and forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Anvil and/or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated and the possibility of cost overruns, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's filed documents. There can be no assurance that the Kinsevere SX-EW plant will proceed as planned and within expected time limits and budgets or that, when completed, the Kinsevere SX-EW plant will operate as anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements and forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward looking information.