Ateba explores for diamonds in three countries.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 1996--ATEBA MINES INC. (Alberta Stock Exchange: ABM ) is pleased to announce it is in the course of negotiating an option agreement with the Silverstone Prospecting Syndicate to acquire up to a 55 percent interest in 13 mining claims for diamonds and gold.

Ateba owns an 8 percent interest in the Syndicate, which believes has located the source of the diamonds found in the rivers of Amador County, California, by the 1849 gold miners. The agreement will be subject to Ateba Board approval and all the necessary regulatory approvals.

The Ateba property is adjacent to claims optioned by Silverstone to Diadem Resources Ltd. (DIR.ME) which confirmed the presence of diamonds in a diatreme 700 acres in area an which is currently being drilled.

In the Northwest Territories, Canada, Ateba has recently completed an airborne magnetometer survey over its 60 percent optioned claims adjoining the east boundary of Mountain Province Mining Inc.'s property where diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes have been reported. Previous heavy mineral samples of soil on Ateba's claims had identified minerals indicating the presence of kimberlite nearby. The airborne survey identified four circular features up-ice from the trains of indicator minerals, indicating the probable presence of kimberlite pipes. Follow-up sampling is planned to confirm this.

In the Republic of Central Africa ("R.C.A."), Ateba and Sikaman Gold Resources Ltd. (SKG.TSE) have formed a R.C.A. company to explore for diamonds on their 1000 sq. kilometre property. Ateba and Sikaman have each purchased 40 percent of the company with 20 percent owned by locals. A program of work is scheduled to commence in November, 1996 to evaluate the diamond-bearing gravels on the south-east end of the Mouka Oudda plateau. In this area of Nzako, local miners have traditionally produced the largest and most valuable diamonds in R.C.A.

The Company's news releases are now available through Canadian Corporate News' Internet Home Page: http//www.cdn-news.com

The Alberta Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein.

CONTACT: Ateba Mines Inc.

A. C. A. Howe, President, 416/368-7041

416/368-2579 (Fax)

George Silverman, Director, 416/633-7982

416/633-5534 (Fax)