Cumberland Resources - Meadowbank Gold Project Goose Island and Third Portage Deposits Expanded.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 1996-- CUMBERLAND RESOURCES (TSE: CBD) Cumberland Resources Ltd. (CBD-TSE) announces further results from the ongoing drill program at the Goose Island and Third Portage zones on the Meadowbank Gold Project, located 75 kilometres north of Baker Lake, Northwest Territories. The project is a joint venture between Cumberland (60 percent and operator) and Comaplex Minerals Corp., (40 percent).

Gold mineralization has been traced by shallow drilling over the 8,000 foot long Third Portage Gold Trend. Resource calculations, completed in 1995, on the Third Portage deposit yielded 4.55 million tons averaging 0.136 oz. gold/ton (cut). The Goose Island deposit, located 2,500 feet to the south along the trend, yielded a mineral inventory of 497,000 tons averaging 0.37 oz. gold/ton (cut).

The 1996 spring drill program has expanded the Third Portage and Goose Island resources (combined 805,000 oz. cut, 1 million ounces uncut), as well as testing the area between the two zones. Revised resource calculations will be announced after the completion of the upcoming summer program. Results are listed in the attached table.

GOOSE ISLAND DEPOSIT

Drilling, during the spring program, has significantly expanded the Goose Island deposit (see attached figure) both to the south and at depth. Significant gold values (see attached table) have been returned from depths approaching twice those of last year's drilling. Intersections at a vertical depth of 720 feet (holes 131, 134) returned high grades over appreciable widths. The deposit remains open for future expansion at depth.

GOOSE ISLAND SIGNIFICANT ASSAYS
DEEP DRILLING

HOLE    COLLAR       FROM   TO   INTERVAL   GOLD    Oz. per
       LOCATION      (m)    (m)  (metres)   (g/T)   ton/Feet
       (metric)
------------------------------------------------------------
Previously released

96-109 13+50S/0+55W 180.12 182.12   2.0      7.1    0.21/6.6
                    192.63 194.63   2.0      5.7    0.17/6.6
                    205.24 207.24   2.0      5.1    0.15/6.6

96-115 14+00S/0+15W 171.25 173.25   2.0      7.2    0.21/6.6
------------------------------------------------------------
Not released previously
96-130 14+00S/0+62W 253.0  255.0    2.0      4.8    0.14/6.6

96-131 13+00S/0+91W 225.1  227.5    2.4     22.3   0.65/7.87
                   includes         1.4     36.7   1.07/4.59

96-134 12+00S/1+16W 229.7  232.9    3.2     17.5   0.51/9.8
                   includes         1.0     43.9   1.28/3.28THIRD PORTAGE DEPOSIT

Shallow drilling at the north end of the Third Portage deposit indicates near surface gold mineralization that could add to the existing mineral inventory. Drill hole 125 (see attached table) compliments four holes recently released from the same area. All five holes in this area returned grades and widths at or above the exploration cutoff (grade of 2.0 gmt gold over 2.0 m or 0.06 oz. gold ton/6.6 ft.) in an open pit scenario.

The Company is pleased with the progress of the spring drilling initiative at Third Portage and expects a further increase in gold inventory as a result.

THIRD PORTAGE ASSAYS

HOLE    COLLAR      FROM    TO   INTERVAL   GOLD    Oz. per
       LOCATION     (m)     (m)  (metres)   (g/T)   ton/Feet
       (metric)
------------------------------------------------------------
Previously released

96-119  3+25N/2+70W  24.17  25.17   1.0     45.2   1.32/3.3
                     38.17  40.17   2.0      3.2   0.09/6.6

96-120  3+80N/2+59W  36.30  40.06   3.8      5.4   0.16/12.5
                     42.06  43.06   1.0      3.4   0.10/3.3
                     47.06  49.45   2.4      5.2   0.15/7.9

96-121  4+65N/2+60W  27.00  29.00   2.0      4.4   0.13/6.6
                     45.13  47.13   2.0      4.2   0.12/6.6

96-126  3+25N/2+95W  14.09  17.09   3.0      5.3   0.15/9.8
------------------------------------------------------------
Not released previously

96-125  4+65N/2+90W  65.65  68.65   3.0      5.7   0.17/9.8

1996 SUMMER PROGRAM

Drilling on land throughout the summer months will re-commence around July 7th. This land based program includes infill drilling at the Third Portage deposit, testing of the deeper levels of the Third Portage deposit (below 400 feet) and testing of the North Portage area (1,500 feet north of Third Portage). A single shallow drillhole within North Portage intersected 0.41 oz. gold ton/3.9 feet. In addition, surface grab samples in this area have yielded up to 1.2 oz. gold/ton.

Additional results will be released as assays become available.

CUMBERLAND RESOURCES LTD. Kerry Curtis, B.Sc., P.Geo. Vice-President, Corporate Development

NOTE: Location map available from the Company at the phone number listed above

CONTACT: Cumberland Resources Ltd.

Mr. Glen Dickson, 604/244-7112

604/244-3996 (Fax)

or

Cumberland Resources Ltd.

Mr. Kerry Curtis, 604/244-7112

604/244-3996 (Fax)