Pacific Bay Minerals Brazil Program Yields High-GradeGold Results.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 1997-- Pacific Bay Minerals(VSE PBM. ) David H. Brett, President, reports that an initial exploration program on the Company's Trombetas Gold project in Para State in northern Brazil has produced some high-grade gold assays with values up

to 1.31 ounces per ton. Pacific Bay can earn up to a 50 percent interest in two concessions totaling 200 square kilometers from Vanessa Ventures Ltd. (VSE-VVV) by making cash payments of US$60,000 and spending US$1 million over four years. Pacific Bay can earn a further ten percent interest in the properties by making a cash payment of $400,000.

The Trombetas Gold project area covers a site of intense surface alluvial gold mining activity by local miners ("garimpeiros"). Due to government initiatives, garimpeiro activity has been minor since 1993. During December ,1996, Pacific Bay sent an exploration team to the property to examine and sample the workings. Company geologists examined a total of 11 workings and also conducted reconnaissance soil sampling. All the workings are within a few kilometres of a good airstrip.

The program confirmed that the project area, located in a Greenstone Belt within the Guyana Shield, hosts multiple zones of fault-related quartz-carbonate vein gold mineralization within altered Archean granitic rocks. The sampled workings follow small drainages and range in size up to 100 meters wide and up to one kilometer long. Abundant tailings from the workings consist of vein derived quartz sand layers with locally abundant fragments of variably tourmaline rich, sugary-textured to massive quartz material and moderately to strongly hydrothermally altered granitic rock.

Tourmaline rich quartz-carbonate vein and breccia material sampled at the sites contains visible gold in places. Significant assays of this material are as follows: -0-

Sample  Number          Gold Ounces Per Ton
96TRWR-07                      .083
96TRWR-08                      .055
96TRWR-09                     1.308
96TRWR-10                     1.162
96TRWR-20                      .590

-0-

Soil samples were collected with hand augers at depths of up to two metres from strongly oxidized saprolite (clay) layers. Soil lines were established proximal to several garimpeiro pits. Several highly anomalous gold values were detected. Additional widespread soil sampling is planned.

A number of silt samples were also taken on the small drainages running through the garimpeiro workings. Although almost certainly affected by nearby tailings and disturbed material, the gold values were nonetheless very high. One silt sample collected on a drainage within a large alluvial working a few hundred metres from the airstrip, assayed .831 ounces of gold per ton.

Pacific Bay management is encouraged by these initial results and plans to accelerate exploration activity in this area as soon as possible. The Trombetas Gold project exhibits many characteristics of other significant gold properties within the Guyana Shield, such as the Omai Mine to the north in Guyana. -0- Pacific Bay Minerals Ltd. David H. Brett, President -0- NOTE: Location map available from the Company at the phone number listed below. -0- The Vancouver Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

CONTACT: Pacific Bay Minerals Ltd.

David Brett, 800/670-6570

or

Pacific Bay Minerals Ltd.

Lance Abbott, 800/670-6570