Ashton Mining of Canada Inc.: Slave Joint Venture Field Activities Commence.

Business Editors

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003

Robert T. Boyd, President and CEO of Ashton Mining of Canada Inc. ("Ashton")(TSX:ACA), is pleased to report the commencement of winter field activities under the 2003 program for the Slave Joint Venture. As announced on December 20, 2002, the program approved by Ashton and its joint venture partner, Pure Gold Minerals Inc. ("Pure Gold"), has a budget of $2,000,000. Each party has elected to contribute its pro rata share of the costs of the program.

Winter field activities focus on the Ric and Kim properties in the Coronation Gulf region of Nunavut and on the Green property situated in the Northwest Territories approximately 160 km north of Yellowknife. Field personnel will carry out ground geophysical surveys on as many as 10 high-priority airborne geophysical anomalies, some of which are associated with well-defined indicator mineral trains. Up to six of these anomalies may be drilled before spring breakup expected in mid-May.

The Slave Joint Venture currently holds approximately 238,000 hectares of mineral claims in areas of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut known to be prospective for diamonds. Six properties totaling approximately 222,000 hectares are located in the Coronation Gulf region.

The approximate current beneficial interests in the Joint Venture are Ashton, 89.4 percent, and Pure Gold (PUG:TSX), 10.6 percent. Ashton is the operator of all programs and Brooke Clements, Professional Geologist and Ashton's Vice President, Exploration, is responsible for their design and conduct.