Mansfield Minerals: Exploration Update.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 1997--MANSFIELD MIN. (VcSE:MDR.) The Company's spring 1997 exploration season has been ongoing since mid-February and additional experienced prospecting personnel and vehicles have supplemented last year's exploration crew. Two new properties are now under cateo application with further details to be announced upon grant of title.

Cerro Gordo Property

On January 27, 1997, the trenching program was recommenced and to date, 19 trenches comprising 5000m have been completed. Initial trench results were reported on February 12th. Additional trenches assayed as follows: -0-

Trench                   Interval     Width  Gold   Silver
                                            (g/ton) (g/ton)

North Ridge B            30-80m        50m  0.655
(70m north North Ridge)  incl 52-72m   22m  1.239   21.72
                         incl 56-68m   12m  1.954   30.00

North Ridge C            112-122m      10m          24.58
(130m north North Ridge)

North Ridge A            58-70m        12m  0.417   7.95
(30m south North Ridge)  94-104m       12m  0.316

6018 Trench South        114m          2m   1.045   41.00
(130m south 6018 Trench) 134m          2m   1.010   8.30
                         162-172m      10m  0.783

A trench plan map is attached. The property is very large and in addition to previously identified areas of sediment-hosted gold mineralization, a new area of volcanic-hosted epithermal mineralization in float has been discovered. A trenching program is now underway in this area to locate the bedrock source of this mineralization. Brealito Property

Rio Algom Exploration Inc. completed 9 drill holes, totalling 1800m, under its joint-venture agreement with the Company. Reported drill results were not encouraging and Rio Algom Exploration Inc. has advised that it will do no further work and that the joint venture is terminated. The Company has evaluated the program and believes the property has been adequately tested and plans no further work. Taca Taca Property

Teck Corp. completed a 2-hole test comprised of 500m under its joint venture agreement with the Company. Hole 1 drilled immediately beneath surface trench R where surface assays yielded 0.8g/ton across 42m. This hole encountered a mineralized structure at a depth of 150m. The mineralized section graded 0.4g/Au over 9m. The second hole was drilled to test an I.P. anomaly 600m from drill hole 1, and no significant mineralization was encountered in this hole. Teck Corp. has advised that it will do no further work and that the joint venture is terminated. The Company was operator prior to drilling and, after evaluating the results of all exploration work done to date, is of the opinion that the 2-hole drilling program has not adequately tested numerous untested targets remaining on the property. The Company intends to joint- venture the property with a major mining company to finance further work. Mina Concordia Property

Mansfield has concluded joint-venture negotiations under which a major mining company will take over as operator of the property and provide funds to earn an interest. Execution of a formal agreement is expected within 2 weeks and will be the subject of a detailed news release.

Agua Pelada and Chuculaqui Properties, Cerro Samenta Area

In addition to the Cerro Samenta property (currently under title dispute with Corriente/Daroca), the Company holds cateo applications for two copper porphyry prospects in the Cerro Samenta area which were overstaked by Corriente (Cateo no.15607 and associated cateos applied for concurrently). On February 13, 1997, a decision was rendered by the Civil and Commercial Appeals Court of Salta, Argentina and subsequently ratified by the Justice Ministry of Salta. The judgement states that Corriente applied for these cateos based upon a belief that the ground was open as depicted on the Plan of Registers (Map M-9). Corriente claimed that an application was made and fees were paid in advance and in good faith for ground that appeared to be open for location and the application for the cateo should have been granted as such. Subsequently, the Ministry of Mines implemented a new Plan of Registers based upon knowledge that Map M-9 was not an accurate depiction of topographic relationships, and specifically the true location of Cerro Samenta. When the new Plan of Registers was implemented, with cateos and pertinencies plotted, it became apparent that overlapping interests existed between the Corriente cateo applications and prior third party cateo applications and claims (some of which belong to a subsidiary of Mansfield). The court ruled Corriente had not been granted title rights and as such, no prior right was vested as a result of recording the application, paying the fees or drafting the claims on the errant Plan of Registers. Consequently, the court ruled the overlapping areas would not be granted to Corriente. Management believes this Appeal Court decision sets an important precedent for Mansfield's upcoming Appeal Court hearing which will deal with the ownership of the Cerro Samenta property. The decision of the Salta Court of Appeal concerning ownership of the property is expected by the end of June. Mansfield remains convinced of its right to the property and that the Court will render the appropriate decision. General

While virtually the entire resource exploration sector has entered into what will hopefully be a short-term slump, the Company has many highly prospective prospects and approximately $10 million in the treasury to ensure uninterrupted operation. Mansfield's risk management program is to continue with attractive joint-ventures with major mining companies that are currently in place, under negotiation and planned for the future. This relieves the Company from participation in expensive advanced exploration programs but also virtually eliminates the type of exploration result discrepancies that have been the cause of considerable controversy for other companies. The Company continues to make new discoveries of very prospective properties and remains as enthusiastic as ever with its exploration activities in Argentina.

This news release was prepared by management and they

accept responsibility for its accuracy.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors:

MANSFIELD MINERALS INC.

"Gordon P. Leask, P.Eng.", President and Director

Note: Location map available from the Company at the

phone number listed below.

The Vancouver Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein.

CONTACT: Mansfield Minerals Inc.

Greg Thomas, 604/ 681-4462

604/ 681-0180 (FAX)