Continental Minerals Corporation: Drilling Begins at Xietongmen Copper-Gold Property.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Ronald W. Thiessen, President and CEO of Continental Minerals Corporation (TSX VENTURE:KMK)(OTCBB:KMKLF) is pleased to announce that drilling has begun at the Xietongmen Copper-Gold Property. Continental can earn up to a 60% interest in the Xietongmen Property, located 240 kilometres southwest of Lhasa in Tibet, People's Republic of China ("PRC"), through investments in shares and exploration, as described in the Company's January 2005 news release.

The Xietongmen Property hosts disseminated and quartz-stockwork copper and gold mineralization, occurring within a four kilometre long alteration zone. Historically, this area has only been tested by two vertical diamond drill holes and a 200-metre long underground adit. These probes of the system encountered long continuous intervals of good grade, copper and gold mineralization. Intersections included 235 metres of 0.47% Cu and 0.58 g/t Au in drill hole ZK0301, 207 metres of 0.68% Cu and 1.43 g/t Au in drill hole ZK0701, and 76 metres of 1.23% Cu and 1.91 g/t Au in a cross-cut accessed by the adit. The alteration zone is open in all directions, indicating excellent potential to outline a high-grade porphyry-style mineral deposit.

The planned Phase 1 program encompasses 8,000 metres of drilling in approximately 26 holes. Three drills are currently operating, with potential to expand to four later in the program. Drilling is focused in an area measuring approximately 250 metres by 300 metres to infill between and step out from the high grade discovery drill holes and cross cut. Drill holes are planned at a 50 metre spacing to confirm the continuity of mineralization, structural controls and orientation. A more extensive second phase program, covering an area of 800 metres by 1000 metres, is expected to follow the Phase 1 program.

Mark Rebagliati, P.Eng., a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101, is supervising the drilling program.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ronald W. Thiessen, President & CEO

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuing availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's Annual Information Form in Canada and its annual filing on Form 20-F with the United States Securities Commission.

No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this news release.

Continental Minerals Corporation (TSX VENTURE:KMK) (OTC Bulletin Board:KMKLF)