Eastmain Resources Inc. - Eau Claire Assays & Metallurgy Up to 12.07 g/t Au over 5.5 m 95.7 to 98.8% Gold recoveries

TSX Symbol: ER

TORONTO, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Eastmain Resources Inc. (TSX:ER) is pleased to announce assay data from the last 16 drill holes of 2009 and additional metallurgical test results from its Eau Claire Gold Deposit, located in James Bay, Québec.

Holes 229 through 244 intersected 42 gold-bearing quartz-tourmaline veins, including numerous intersections containing over one-half ounce of gold. (Table 1). Additional metallurgical test work by SGS Lakefield Research on the P, JQ, R and S Veins indicates impressive total gold recoveries (gravity + flotation + cyanidation), ranging from approximately 95.7 to 98.8%. Further testing to determine other metallurgical parameters and optimal processing is still underway. As previously reported, high concentrations of the rare metals tellurium and bismuth occur as byproducts in gold-bearing veins at Eau Claire.

48 HQ holes totaling 14,619 metres were completed during the 2009 second phase program. Drill holes reported herein intersected the Main Group of Veins (P, JQ, R and S) near surface and the T Vein group of veins at depth.

    Assay highlights include:

    -   14.05 g/t Au over 1.0 m, including 17.75 g/t Au (0.52 oz/ton) over
        0.5 m (ER09-231)
    -   7.50 g/t Au over 8.0 m, including 60.90 g/t Au (1.78 oz/ton) over 0.5
        m (ER09-232)
    -   12.07 g/t Au over 5.5 m, including 41.10 g/t Au (1.20 oz/ton) over
        0.5 m (ER09-233)
    -   8.02 g/t Au over 2.0 m, including 16.65 g/t Au (0.49 oz/ton) over 0.5
        m (ER09-234)
    -   14.27 g/t Au over 1.5 m, including 39.60 g/t Au (1.16 oz/ton) over
        0.5 m (ER09-235)
    -   25.80 g/t Au over 1.0 m, including 44.10 g/t Au (1.29 oz/ton) over
        0.5 m (ER09-236)
    -   7.05 g/t Au over 3.5 m, including 26.70 g/t Au (0.78 oz/ton) over 0.5
        m (ER09-237)
    -   15.04 g/t Au over 1.0 m including 29.30 g/t Au (0.86 oz/ton) over 0.5
        m (ER09-240)

Additional drilling is necessary to evaluate the resource potential of the T-Vein series. Holes ER09-235 to 239, 242 and 243 each intersected high-grade T-Vein intervals at vertical depths ranging from approximately 115 to 225 metres (152 to 283 metres down hole). ER09-236 intersected a one-metre-thick quartz-tourmaline vein containing 40 grains of visible gold grading 25.80 g/t Au, 50 metres down-dip from ER08-118, which assayed 29.74 g/t Au across a 1.50 metre interval. ER09-237 intersected multiple high-grade T-Vein intervals (T5, T6 and T7) 50 metres down-dip of ER08-145, which returned 24.57 g/t Au over 3.0 metres. ER09-239 intersected 0.83 g/t Au across 12.5 metres down-dip of ER08-136, which assayed 17.99 g/t Au across 4.7 metres and of ER08-148, which returned up to 15.49 g/t Au over 3.0 metres in T Vein intervals.

A total of 21,276 metres (68 HQ drill holes) were drilled in 2009 to expand the Eau Claire gold resource within the upper 300 metres. Over the last two years more than 25% of all vein intercepts drilled contain over one ounce gold per ton. 70% of all gold-enriched vein and schist material intersected at Eau Claire within this period contains one-half (0.50) ounce gold per ton over an average thickness of 1.34 metres.

Within the past 24 months, 500 gold-bearing quartz-tourmaline vein intervals with an average grade of 12.4 g/t Au (0.36 oz/ton), at an average thickness of 1.37 metres, have been intersected within the upper one-third of the deposit. 400 vein intervals contain an average grade of 15.2 g/t Au (0.44 oz/ton); 300 vein intervals averaged 18.4 g/t Au (0.54 oz/ton); 200 vein intervals contain an average of 24.6 g/t Au or 0.72 oz/ton; 100 vein intervals contain 42.6 g/t Au (1.25 oz/ton) and 50 intersections have an average of 66.4 g/t Au or 1.94 oz/ton (Table 2).

The Eau Claire deposit hosts a large number of exceptionally high-grade gold veins, from which three recent cyanidation tests of gravity tailings, completed by SGS Lakefield Research Limited, yielded excellent gold extractions. The finest grind material (P80 = 20 (micro)m, microns) gave a leach gold extraction of 98% which, when included with the gold recovered from gravity separation, gives a combined recovery of 98.8%. The coarsest grind test completed (P80 = 121 (micro)m) gave a cyanide leach gold extraction of 93% which, when added to the gold recovered by gravity separation, gave an overall gold recovery of 95.7%. Acid base accounting tests confirmed that waste from veins processed at SGS is non-acid generating and therefore does not pose any environmental liability.

The most recent resource estimate for the Eau Claire gold deposit, completed in 2005, was based on 182 gold-bearing vein intercepts. Drilling over the past two years has intersected 500 gold-bearing veins at a significantly higher grade than the previous estimate, within the upper 1/3 of the deposit. A substantial number of the current drill intercepts are from the T-Vein group, which is located north of the previous resource limits.

Definition drilling is still required to evaluate the resource potential of a high-grade vein system in the 850 West Zone and the newly discovered Boomerang Prospect, located approximately one-half kilometre east of the eastern margin of Eau Claire. Continued drilling is also warranted to expand the gold resource within main deposit and T-Vein group of veins at depth. Metallurgical test-work currently underway will be integrated with an updated resource calculation in 2010. Deposit and property scale drilling and surface exploration work is planned to continue throughout the year.

This news release was prepared by Dr. Donald Robinson, P. Geo., the qualified person supervising the project in accordance with NI 43-101.

About Eastmain Resources Inc. (TSX:ER)

Eastmain is a Canadian gold exploration company with 100% interest in the Eau Claire and Eastmain gold deposits. The Corporation has $16.5 Million in working capital, no debt and holds an interest in 12 projects within the James Bay District, including the Eleonore South property, where a gold discovery has been found in a similar geologic setting to Goldcorp's Roberto deposit. Eastmain's 2010 budget is $7.5 million for gold exploration in Quebec.

The statements made in this Press Release may contain forward-looking statements that may involve a number of risks. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections.

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    Table 1   Clearwater Project - Assay Data
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                        2009 Eau Claire Assay Results

    Hole ID   From    To   Length   Au     Au    Te g/t   Te   Vein ID  Notes
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             m     g/t   oz/ton    g/t   oz/ton
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ER09-230   34.3   34.8  0.50  10.65   0.31   11.70    0.34    R

               45.1   46.1  1.00  12.75   0.37   19.32    0.56    S
       incl.   45.1   45.6  0.50  24.30   0.71   36.20    1.06

    ER09-231    5.5    6.5  1.00  14.05   0.41   17.05    0.50    H
       incl.    6.0    6.5  0.50  17.75   0.52   18.95    0.55

               22.5   23.0  0.50   8.64   0.25    8.48    0.25    I

               66.8   67.3  0.50  25.20   0.74   38.80    1.13   JQ     VG

               81.5   83.5  2.00   4.71   0.14    5.85    0.17    R

    ER09-232   46.3   54.3  8.00   7.50   0.22   12.90    0.38    P
       incl.   51.8   52.3  0.50  15.05   0.44   20.50    0.60
       incl.   52.8   53.3  0.50  60.90   1.78   95.30    2.78

               65.2   65.7  0.50   8.17   0.24   10.15    0.30   JQ    VG 11

               75.5   76.5  1.00  13.73   0.40   16.73    0.49    R
       incl.   75.5   76.0  0.50  24.10   0.70   29.20    0.85

    ER09-233   55.6   61.1  5.50  12.07   0.35   19.43    0.57    P
       incl.   56.6   57.1  0.50  21.60   0.63   23.70    0.69
       incl.   57.1   57.6  0.50  41.10   1.20   61.60    1.80
       incl.   58.6   59.1  0.50  14.15   0.41   32.70    0.95
       incl.   60.6   61.1  0.50  19.00   0.55   30.30    0.88

               75.4   77.4  2.00   5.86   0.17   10.00    0.29   JQ     VG

    ER09-234   76.7   78.7  2.00   8.02   0.23   11.77    0.34   JQ
       incl.   77.2   77.7  0.50  16.65   0.49   26.40    0.77         VG 2

               84.2   84.7  0.50   6.33   0.18   11.40    0.33    R

               93.5   95.0  1.50   4.46   0.13    6.13    0.18    S

    ER09-235   82.1   82.6  0.50  17.00   0.50   29.00    0.85   JQ

              103.7  104.7  1.00  10.38   0.30   12.53    0.37    S
       incl.  103.7  104.2  0.50  13.30   0.39   14.15    0.41

              199.1  200.6  1.50  14.27   0.42   23.99    0.70    T
       incl.  199.6  200.1  0.50  39.60   1.16   66.70    1.95

    ER09-236  151.5  152.5  1.00  25.80   0.75   45.12    1.32    T
       incl.  151.5  152.0  0.50  44.10   1.29   81.10    2.37        VG 40+

              242.5  243.0  0.50   4.27   0.12    5.21    0.15   T8

    ER09-237  179.3  179.9  0.60   5.18   0.15    7.72    0.23    T     VG

              225.0  225.5  0.50   7.22   0.21   10.85    0.32   T4

              235.0  238.5  3.50   7.05   0.21   10.08    0.29   T5
       incl.  236.5  237.0  0.50  26.70   0.78   33.20    0.97

              244.0  246.5  2.50   5.89   0.17    8.95    0.26   T6
       incl.  246.0  246.5  0.50  25.60   0.75   33.30    0.97

              249.0  250.5  1.50   8.20   0.24   10.37    0.30   T7
       incl.  249.5  250.0  0.50  21.10   0.62   26.70    0.78

              274.8  275.8  1.00   0.45   0.01    1.30    0.04   T8    VG 3

    ER09-238  236.1  237.1  1.00   5.38   0.16    9.07    0.26   T5

              240.1  240.6  0.50   6.22   0.18   12.95    0.38   T6

              282.2  283.2  1.00   5.66   0.17   18.70    0.55   T9    VG 4

    ER09-239  176.5  189.0 12.50   0.83   0.02    2.02    0.06    T

              261.5  266.5  5.00   0.63   0.02    0.99    0.03   T9

    ER09-240   37.6   38.6  1.00   8.92   0.26   10.19    0.30    P
       incl.   37.6   38.1  0.50  14.70   0.43   16.30    0.48

               46.0   47.0  1.00  15.04   0.44   21.83    0.64   JQ
       incl.   46.0   46.5  0.50  29.30   0.86   41.00    1.20

    ER09-242  207.4  209.9  2.50   1.97   0.06    3.00    0.09   T3

              239.5  240.0  0.50   8.89   0.26   16.45    0.48   T5

    ER09-243  160.4  160.9  0.50   4.90   0.14    6.02    0.18   S4

              181.2  182.7  1.50   2.54   0.07    5.91    0.17    T

              216.3  216.8  0.50  42.40   1.24   16.20    0.47   T2

              272.9  273.4  0.50   8.66   0.25   18.55    0.54   T7
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    Chemical analysis was completed by ALS CHEMEX Laboratories using a 50-
    gram split and gravimetric techniques. The visible gold samples were
    mechanically screened and assayed for metallics. Internal standards
    provided by an independent company and blank samples were inserted for
    quality control purposes. Assay samples are taken from HQ core, sawed in
    half along the core axis with one half sent to a commercial laboratory
    and the other half retained for future reference.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Note: Sample length approximates true thickness. VQTL VG =
    Quartz-tourmaline vein with visible gold. VG5+ = five grains
    of visible gold were identified in the sample. TE = visible
    grains of tellurides.
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    Table 2. Eau Claire Gold Deposit 2007-2009 Average composite gold grades
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

       Number of Vein      Average Grade     Length    Cut off grade
        Intercepts      Au g/t   Au oz/ton      m          Au g/t

            500          12.4      0.36       1.37           1.7
            450          13.6      0.40       1.36           2.4
            400          15.2      0.44       1.33           3.3
            350          16.8      0.49       1.34           4.2
            300          18.4      0.54       1.38           5.0
            250          21.0      0.61       1.37           6.1
            200          24.6      0.72       1.36           7.8
            150          31.3      0.91       1.27          10.4
            100          43.0      1.26       1.21          15.0
             50          66.4      1.94       1.20          22.2
             25         114.3      3.34       1.06          35.6
             10         218.6      6.38       1.11          50.0
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SOURCE Eastmain Resources Inc.