TSX: CUM

VANCOUVER, Sept. 3 /CNW/ - Copper Mountain Mining Corporation ("CMMC" or the "Company") reports that Merit Consultants International Inc.,Construction Manager, for the Copper Mountain Project has awarded Gisborne Industrial Construction Ltd the contract as General contractor to start mill foundation work early this month subject to government approvals. The schedule provides for the mill foundations to be completed this fall with steel being erected early next spring. With the preliminary work completed this fall the mill building will be fully enclosed by mid 2010 to allow equipment installations to proceed to meet the planned mid 2011 production start.

The Project is an open pit porphyry copper mine that operated from 1972 to 1996 and over its life produced 1.74 billion pounds of copper, 9.1 million ounces of silver and 730 thousand ounces of gold. The current resource is estimated at 5 billion pounds of copper at a 0.15 % Cu cut-off. The resource estimate incorporates data from over 4,400 historical drill holes totalling approximately 400,000 metres, and 370 new drill holes, totalling 107,000 metres from the Company's 2007 and 2008 exploration programs.

Mr. O'Rourke, Chief Executive Officer of the Company stated: "Following Mitsubishi Materials Corporation purchasing 25 percent of the project the new Similco board approved the development schedule which has provided a major step to the Company becoming a significant new mid tier copper producer. The current economic conditions provide an ideal time to be developing a major mine in British Columbia."

To date, site activities have been funded by the Company's equity contributions and a $28.75 million line of credit from Mitsubishi, which together have totalled almost $40 million. Long lead items have been ordered with the SAG and ball mill manufacturing well underway to maintain the target production schedule for mid 2011. Detailed engineering is progressing and site geotechnical excavation for the concentrator is now complete. The office and warehouse complex is now fully functional with power, heat, water, telephones, internet, and sewerage. The Company currently has approximately 20 employees currently engaged at the site on construction activities. It is estimated that the project will provide employment for 200 construction workers at its peak and the ongoing operations will create 257 full time positions. Over the 17 year life of the project, it is estimated that the mine will produce 1.47 billion pounds of Copper, 452,000 ounces of gold, and 4.5 million ounces of silver.

About The Gisborne Group:

The Gisborne Group is a multi disciplined industrial construction company that has been in continuous operation since 1953 and performs work throughout Canada.