Northern Crown -- exploratory drilling at Guadalupe, Mexico.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 30, 1996-- Northern Crown Mines Ltd. (VSE: NCW) reported today that initial exploratory drilling at the "Guadalupe Mine Zone" of the company's extensive Guadalupe de los Reyes Project in north western Mexico has confirmed extensive epithermal precious metals mineralization in drill holes more than one kilometre apart.

The company considers assay results from the first three holes of both tested areas within the Guadalupe Mine Zone as very encouraging, particularly a 51.8 metre intersection, from surface, that averaged 1.62 grams gold per tonne and 54.3 grams silver per tonne, and a 29.0 metre intersection 1000 metres along the strike on the Guadalupe West structure that assayed 3.59 grams gold per tonne and 44.0 grams silver per tonne.

The overall Guadalupe de los Reyes drilling project has seen completion of 94 drill holes during the past four months.

The current drilling program brings the total number of holes drilled by Northern Crown at Guadalupe to 163 comprising 15,000 metres of drilling. Drilling results have been previously reported from the project's Tahonitas, Noche Buena and Zapote epithermal gold zones, all located within close proximity to each other in the south- western sector of the 59 kilometre-square Guadalupe camp. More recently, drilling has been directed to completion of 22 holes within the centrally-located Guadalupe Mine Zone and 8 holes within the northern El Orito zone.

The Guadalupe Mine Zone has seen most of the historic mining activity over the past 200 years with production reportedly reaching 525,000 ounces of gold and 41 million ounces of silver from extensive underground workings. Northern Crown's initial exploration has been directed to successful indication of near-surface gold and silver mineralization amenable to open-pit mining above the historic mine workings. At a later stage, continued drilling is likely to prove additional potential for mineralization that may be produced from underground.

Gold and silver assays are reported for the first 6 of the 22 holes drilled within the 1.7 kilometre length of the Guadalupe Mine Zone. Additional results are pending and will be reported within two weeks. Assays for mineralized intersections are reported below. -0-

GUADALUPE MINE ZONE - DRILL HOLE SUMMARY

                                       Gold      Silver
               Intercept    Interval      Assay     Assay
Section  Hole     (m)         (m)         (g/t)     (g/t)

4800   96GL-1   171.6-176.8    5.2        1.17       37.8

4850   96GL-2     0.0-51.8    51.8        1.62       54.3
       Includes  36.6-51.8    15.2        3.30      105.3

4850   96GL-3    13.7-38.1    24.4        1.80       72.1

3800   96GW-1    36.6-57.9    21.3        0.90       24.3

3800   96GW-2    59.4-88.4    29.0        3.59       44.0
       Includes  70.1-88.4    18.3        5.48       62.5

3850   96GW-3    33.5-47.2    13.7        0.46       27.1

Results received for 8 holes testing 300 metres of the five kilometre-long El Orito zone indicated intersections of weak alteration containing sub-economic but anomalous gold-silver values. Further exploration is warranted.

The current phase of drilling at the Guadalupe Project has now been completed with 9100 metres bored over the past four months. With the onset of the "rainy season," field crews have been demobbed. Over the next two months indication of size potential of the five epithermal gold zones will be reported following which, reserve definition drilling and on-going exploratory drilling will resume.

With the Guadalupe de los Reyes Project indicating approximately one million ounce gold potential, it is Northern Crown's 1996 objective to drill-indicate a minimum 500,000 contained ounces of gold. Preliminary feasibility studies for mine development would be initiated following completion of the current program.

Northern Crown Mines Ltd.   Symbol: NCW (VSE resource board)
Shares Outstanding                              12.5 million
Fully Diluted                                   16.0 million
Trading Range (June/July)                   CDN$0.91 - $1.60

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

The Vancouver Stock Exchange has not reviewed, and does not accept responsibility, for the accuracy or adequacy of this news release.

CONTACT: Northern Crown Mines Ltd.

Brent Bagshaw

Investor Relations

604/687-4951

604/687-4991 (Fax)