International Northair Mines Ltd.: Bulk Tonnage Gold Property Acquired in Mexico.

Business Editors

VANCOUVER, B.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2000

Mr. Fred G. Hewett, President of International Northair Mines Ltd. (CDNX:INM.), is pleased to announce that the Company has acquired an additional gold property as a result of Northair's continuing aggressive cost effective reconnaissance program in Mexico.

The project is referred to as Lobos, and has the potential to host a gold deposit of significant size. Lobos is located along the western flanks of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and is approximately 40 linear kilometers from Culiacan in the State of Sinaloa. Access is excellent. The property can be reached in 90 minutes from the city by a combination of paved and improved dirt roads. Topography is gentle, with elevations ranging from 250 to 400 meters.

Northair has signed an agreement on a 143 hectare internal concession with a private owner and staked a surrounding 5 by 6 kilometer concession, providing the Company 100% control of 3000 total hectares. The agreement with the owner of the internal concession is being formally ratified under Mexican laws and recorded at the Direction of Mines in Mexico City. In order for Northair to earn 100%, the Company must make option payments totaling US $100,000 over 3 years, with a final buy-out of an additional US $400,000 by the fourth year. A 2% NSR provided to the owner can be bought-out for $400,000.

Lobos contains epithermal low sulfidation gold mineralization related to a large hot springs type system. Most of the mineralization occurs along the southwest flank of a rhyolitic domal complex, where Company geologists have mapped a corridor of mineralization approximately 1.25 kilometers long. Average widths or thickness of mineralization and alteration within the corridor range from 30 to over 100 meters. The mineralization consists of sub-sinter level silica replacement, veining, micro-veinlets, and hydrothermal breccias. The Company believes exploration programs have an excellent potential for defining bulk tonnage as well as bonanza grade mineralization. Historic production from the property has been minimal. There are abundant small adits, shafts, and prospects that were developed by previous owners in the 1950's who were reportedly selectively mining ores exceeding 60 g/t gold.

To date, Northair has taken a total of 210 samples from the property, with a global average of 1.27 g/t gold. The 1.25 kilometer belt of mineralization has been subdivided into three roughly contiguous general target areas with results summarized below. Most of the samples taken to date have been 5 meter channel samples from outcrops or within mine workings. Due to much of the surface being covered with a thin veneer of colluvium, continuous channel sampling has been restricted, requiring some panel sampling of small outcrops and limited float grabs. All assaying to date has been performed by Chemex Labs.

SUMMARY OF SAMPLE RESULTS
AREA                    # OF SAMPLES             AVE. GOLD g/t
 Total Project               210                      1.27
Northwest Zone                52                      1.75
  Central Zone                41                      0.90
Southeast Zone                94                      1.40

The Company plans to initiate a substantial road and trenching program to expose the mineralized zone for geologic mapping and continuous channel sampling. These roads will also serve for a first phase drilling program.

Elsewhere in Mexico, the company has returned the remaining Venturina claims to the vendors in order to concentrate its exploration efforts on Lobos.

Northair considers the Lobos property to be one of the most promising gold systems recognized in Mexico in the last few years. The Company will continue to keep investors informed of additional results and developments from this exciting new acquisition.

INTERNATIONAL NORTHAIR MINES LTD. Fred G. Hewett, President

The Canadian Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.