SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/09/11

Great Western Minerals Group (TSX VENTURE:GWG) (OTCQX:GWMGF) ("GWMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed John Selby as a monazite / radiation / environmental consultant to its team at the Company's Steenkampskraal rare earth mining project in South Africa.

Mr. Selby was most recently with Richards Bay Minerals of South Africa where he assumed increasingly senior positions through to being named General Manager of the minerals processing operation.

He will advise on the processing of additional monazite streams to be used as feedstock in GWMG's rare earth processing and separation facilities in and around Steenkampskraal. In addition, given Mr. Selby's internationally recognized expertise in radiation and environmental work, he will also provide expertise to the Company in those areas.

Mr. Selby holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Bath in England, a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and a M.Sc. in Integrated Environment Management from the University of Bath. He holds many professional designations including an Honorary Life Fellowship from the South African Institute of Mining & Metallurgy for his contributions to South African mining and metallurgy, a membership with the Royal Society of Chemistry and is a Registered Radiation Specialist with the South Africa Radiation Protection Association.

GWMG President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Engdahl said, "Being able to attract a team member with the experience and expertise of John Selby ensures our continued and thorough compliance with the terms of the National Nuclear Regulator of South Africa in conjunction with a focus on increasing the amount of monazite feedstock for our rare earth processing operations. His highly recognized advocacy work and expertise in the areas of radiation, waste management and environmental stewardship will ensure that GWMG continues its development work at the highest level of international standards."

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. is an integrated Rare Earths processor. Its specialty alloys are used in the battery, magnet and aerospace industries. Produced at the Company's wholly owned subsidiaries Less Common Metals Limited in Birkenhead, U.K. and Great Western Technologies Inc. in Troy, Michigan, these alloys contain aluminium, nickel, cobalt and Rare Earth Elements. As part of the Company's vertical integration strategy, GWMG also holds 100% equity ownership in Rare Earth Extraction Co. Limited, which owns a 74% equity interest in the Steenkampskraal Mine. In addition to a planned exploration program at Steenkampskraal, GWMG also holds interests in six Rare Earth exploration and development properties in North America.

Certain information set out in this News Release constitutes forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements (often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "expect", "may", "could", "anticipate" or "will" and similar expressions) may describe expectations, opinions or guidance that are not statements of fact and which may be based upon information provided by third parties. Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions, expectations and estimates of management of GWMG as at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or outcomes to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those factors include, but are not limited to, the results of the exploration program, a resource estimate and commencement of production at Steenkampskraal, satisfaction of the conditions precedent with respect to GWMG's offtake agreement, receipt of all required approvals (including those relating to the commencement of production at the Steenkampskraal mine) and risks, uncertainties and other factors that are beyond the control of GWMG, risks associated with the industry in general, commodity prices and exchange rate changes, operational risks associated with exploration, development and production operations, delays or changes in plans, risks associated with the uncertainty of reserve or resource estimates, health and safety risks and the uncertainty of estimates and projections of production, costs and expenses. In light of the risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking information. Although GWMG believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements set out in this press release or incorporated herein by reference are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. The forward-looking statements of GWMG contained in this News Release, or incorporated herein by reference, are expressly qualified, in their entirety, by this cautionary statement and the risk factors contained in GWMG's current annual information form available at www.sedar.com.

CUSIP: 39141Y 10 3

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Contacts:
Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.
Dwight Percy
Manager of Investor Relations
(306) 659-4500

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.
219 Robin Crescent
Saskatoon, SK S7L 6M8
info@gwmg.ca
www.gwmg.ca