General Minerals Corporation Vizcachitas Drilling Results.

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 1998--General Minerals Cor(TSE:GNM.) Westmin Resources Limited (Westmin) and General Minerals Corporation (GMC) are pleased to announce the first diamond drill results subsequent to the conclusion of the Vizcachitas Joint Venture on October 8, 1997.

The Vizcachitas copper/molybdenum porphyry project is located close to good infrastructure, 130 km north of Santiago, Chile. The results from the first six drill holes indicate that mineralization extends substantially beyond the boundaries included in the earlier resource estimate (GMC - PR97-14, September 29, 1997), and that higher grade primary mineralization is more extensive than earlier believed. A table of drill results follows.

Six diamond drill holes have been completed in the southern portion of the known porphyry system, including one 535 metres further south than the most southerly drill hole (V3) included in the earlier resource estimate. The core samples were analyzed by ACME Laboratories and checked by CIMM Laboratories, both of Santiago, Chile. The correlation coefficient between the copper assays from the two laboratories is 0.97.

Three holes significantly extended the southern boundary of the reported resource estimate. Hole V31, located 535 metres south of drill-hole V3, intersected low copper grades in pyrite halo material and represents the southern limit of the copper-bearing portion of the system at this location. Hole V32, 300 metres south-southwest of V3, intersected good primary mineralization grades (114.1 metres of 0.64 percent copper and 0.012 percent molybdenum) within previously unidentified breccia bodies.

In other parts of the property, high-grade secondary enrichment copper mineralization has been found overlying high-grade primary mineralization. This relationship will be tested by future drilling in this location. V33, located 150 metres northeast of V32, intersected moderate grade secondary enrichment and good primary mineralization (229.2 metres of 0.50 percent copper and 0.011 percent molybdenum). The hole did not intersect the high-grade breccias seen in V32, which are believed to be located further west.

The three other holes were drilled in the central-west area of the previous resource. Hole V28, located 120 metres south-southwest of V18, intersected higher grade primary mineralization (50.8 metres of 0.57 percent copper and 0.007 percent molybdenum) beneath river gravel. Hole V29, located 110 metres north of V23, intersected minor enrichment and moderate grade primary mineralization and 250 metres southeast of V23, hole V30 intersected oxide copper mineralization below slide material (37.6 metres of 0.48 percent copper and 0.021 percent molybdenum).

This hole, which is outside of the boundary reported in the earlier estimate, is the first example of oxide copper mineralization found at Vizcachitas. Further drilling will be required to ascertain the economic significance of the oxide mineralization. Several more holes will be drilled in the southeast sector before the drill-rig is moved to the northwest sector to explore for further extensions to mineralization. At present, the northern limit is open, with the most northern hole 1.8 km to the north of V31. Drilling stopped on December 20th and is expected to restart by January 15th with approximately 20 more holes planned. -0-

Table of Diamond Drill Results

Drill Hole    From     To   Length in Metres  Copper%    Molybdenum%

V28             0     57.6       57.6         Overburden Overburden
             57.6    108.4       50.8           0.57        0.007
            108.4    173.1       64.7           0.41        0.010
            173.1    252.7       79.6           0.31        0.014

V29             0      1.9        1.9         Overburden Overburden
              1.9     22.3       20.4           0.12        0.005
             22.3     38.4       16.2           0.35        0.003
             38.4     65.5       27.1           0.19        0.005
             65.5    119.6       54.1           0.44        0.023
            119.6    147.0       27.4           0.28        0.020
            147.0    206.0       59.0           0.35        0.026
            206.0    251.6       45.7           0.28        0.036

V30             0     43.9       43.9         Overburden Overburden
             43.9    115.1       71.2           0.09        0.033
            115.1    121.9        6.8           0.88        0.028
            121.9    129.5        7.6           0.03        0.001
            129.5    132.0        2.5           1.13        0.044
            132.0    136.7        4.8           0.24        0.031
            136.7    174.3       37.6           0.48        0.021

V31             0    226.9      226.9          Low grade  Low grade

V32             0     50.0       50.0         Overburden  Overburden
             50.0     70.2       20.2           0.36        0.010
             70.2     99.4       29.2           0.50        0.009
             99.4    244.4      145.0           0.33        0.009
            244.4    358.5      114.1           0.64        0.012

          Including
            244.4    266.7       22.3           0.53        0.010
            266.7    280.6       13.9           0.32        0.009
            280.6    336.7       56.1           0.68        0.013
            336.7    358.5       21.8           0.83        0.014

V33             0      4.8        4.8         Overburden  Overburden
              4.8     54.6       49.8           0.32        0.008
             54.6    283.8      229.2           0.50        0.011
            283.8    415.1     131.27           0.29        0.012

Westmin is a Canadian mining company producing zinc, copper and gold concentrates at its Myra Falls Operations on Vancouver Island, and copper concentrates and cathode from the Gibraltar Mine in south central British Columbia. Westmin anticipates very significant copper cathode production from its long-life, low-cost, SX-EW project at Lomas Bayas, Chile, which is scheduled to start up in June 1998.

GMC is an international exploration company formed for the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resources, primarily copper and gold. The Company is currently exploring properties in South America (Chile, Peru, Bolivia), the U.S. and China. The Vizcachitas and Escalones porphyry copper prospects are currently GMC's priority projects. Work will begin shortly at Escalones with the return of the exploration season in central Chile. Vizcachitas location and drill hole maps are available upon request.

CONTACT: Westmin Resources Limited

Bruce McKnight, 604/895-8408

604/ 681-0357 (FAX)

E-mail: [e-mail]

Web Page: http://www.westmin-resources.com

or

General Minerals Corporation

Richard Doran, 303/863-7934

303/ 863-7965 (FAX)

E-mail: [e-mail]

Web Page: http://www.genmin.com