Sterling Mining Appoints Behre Dolbear to Conduct Final Feasibility Study at the Sunshine Mine in Idaho

Business Wire, Feb 23, 2006

WALLACE, Idaho -- Sterling Mining Company (OTC:SRLM) announced today that it has selected Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc., an international minerals industry engineering consulting company, to assist the Company in finalization of a feasibility study in accordance with Sterling's phase III mine plan for the Sunshine Mine in Idaho. The feasibility study work will run concurrently with Sterling's ongoing maintenance, rehabilitation, development and exploration of the Sunshine Mine.

"Behre Dolbear was chosen for this work not only because of the firm's proven track record, but also because of its familiarity with the Sunshine Mine and prior work with Sterling Mining," said Sterling's President Ray De Motte.

Behre Dolbear will quantify the tonnage and grade of "mineralized material" in the Sunshine Mine and estimate proven and probable reserves in accordance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting standards. These (SEC) standards are comparable to the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and Australia's Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC). The feasibility study will include the basis for the estimation of proven and probable reserves and recommendations on the implementation of Sterling's operational mine plan.

Behre Dolbear representatives have commented favorably on the significant amount of geological modeling work that has been completed by Sterling's Chief Geologist, Jeffrey Moe as well as the extensive rehabilitation/refurbishment work already underway.

Sterling Mining Company controls the legendary Sunshine Mine, the richest silver mine in American history with more than 360 million ounces of production over the past century. The Company also holds several properties in Mexico, including the Baroness Tailings Project in the Zacatecas silver district, which is in production. Sterling stock trades on the OTC Market under the symbol "SRLM". Please visit the Sterling website at www.sterlingmining.com for more information.

Certain statements contained in this press release are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on beliefs of management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results.

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