Cumberland Resources - Meliadine West Update: Deep Drilling Success, Four Drills Active.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 8, 1997-- Cumberland Resources (TSE: CBD.) Cumberland Resources Ltd. (CBD-TSE) ("Cumberland") reports further results from the extensive 1997 drill campaign on the Meliadine West Gold Project operated by WMC International Ltd.

Recent deep drilling has intersected spectacular gold mineralization averaging 13.37 g/t over 29.94 m (0.39 opt over 98.22 feet) at depths of approximately 380 m below surface. True widths are estimated at 80-90 percent of core length.

The Meliadine West Project is located 15 km north of Rankin Inlet in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut (NWT) and is held 50-50 percent by Cumberland Resources Ltd. and Comaplex Minerals Corp. The property is currently under option to WMC International Ltd. who have the right to earn up to 60 percent interest by spending $12.5 million in exploration expenditures and by financing production expenses.

DEEP DRILLING YIELDS OUTSTANDING GRADES AND WIDTHS

Deep drilling on the TC Zone has intersected outstanding widths and grades in Hole MEL97-140 located approximately 100 m west of two of last year's most significant intersections (Hole 96-64 yielded 9.26 g/t over 44.79 m and Hole 96-43 yielded 6.27 g/t over 57.93m). Hole 97-140 has yielded 13.37 g/t over 29.94m indicating continuing westward persistence of the zone.

Further deep drilling is planned for the summer months.

WOLF ZONE YIELDS GRADES

Preliminary results from additional drilling on the Wolf Zone, located 5 km west of the TC Zone have also returned positive results. Hole 104 has yielded 16.68 g/t over 2.34m. Two additional holes from the Wolf Zone are currently being assayed.

Cumberland is very pleased with the above results. Drilling continues to significantly expand the TC Zone, which at the end of 1996 had an estimated resource of greater than 1 million ounces. Recent drill results have also indicated outlying targets such as the F-Zone and Wolf zones have excellent additional potential. Four drills are aggressively outlining this potential. -0-

Shares Issued:     21,200,081
Fully Diluted:     25,042,501
Working Capital:   $10.0 million

EMERGING CANADIAN GOLD PROJECTS

Meadowbank (100 percent)

- 1.1 million oz. (cut) resource
- two drill, 5000 m Phase II drilling underway

Meliadine East (50 percent and Operator)

- 400,000 oz. resource
- 3,000 m drill program planned for mid-July start

Meliadine West (20 percent carried to production)

- wide spaced drilling indicates potential for greater than
  1 million oz. resource
- WMC International Ltd. currently operating a planned
  40,000 m drill program

CUMBERLAND RESOURCES LTD. "Kerry Curtis", Senior Vice President

HOLE          COLLAR      INTERVAL       CORE    GRADE   OPT/FEET
             LOCATION
           NORTH  EAST   FROM    TO     LENGTH    gpt
            (m)    (m)           (m)     (m)
TC ZONE

MEL97-140  5320N 5600E  403.59  433.53  29.94    13.37
            includes    415.49  426.57  11.08    16.5
              and       430.84  433.53   2.69    65.29

WOLF ZONE

MEL97-104  -945S -7200W 218.00  219.24   1.24    18.8
                        233.66  236.00   2.34    16.68

MEL97-108  -940S -7300W 208.66  210.70   2.04     3.33

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

CONTACT: Cumberland Resources Ltd.

Mr. Glen Dickson, 604/608-2557, 604/608-2559 (FAX)

or

Cumberland Resources Ltd.

Mr. Kerry Curtis, 604/608-2557, 604/608-2559 (FAX)

http://www.goldmin.com, e-mail: [e-mail]