Solitaire and United Bolero Option Agreement Approved
Work Program to Commence Immediately

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

December 17, 2003 - Solitaire Minerals Corp. (“Solitaire”) is pleased to announce the approval by the TSX Venture Exchange of the formal option agreement with United Bolero Development Corp. (“Bolero”) whereby Bolero can earn up to a 50% interest in Solitaire’s Baird property, located at Red Lake, Ontario.

Management of Solitaire and Bolero are excited at the prospects of exploring the Baird property. A ground work program has been approved and will commence within a week. This program will include line-cutting and geophysics in order to determine drill targets. It is anticipated that a drilling program will commence shortly after compilation of the ground work, which is estimated to be completed by mid-January.

According to a recently prepared property report by J. Garry Clark, P. Geo, the property contains a major NE trending deformation zone, known as the Glat Bay – Howey Lake Deformation Zone, or Madsen mine trend, that has been traced to the northern boundary of the Solitaire property. The structure hosts the Madsen Mine (2.45 million ounces of gold production) and the past producing Starrat-Olsen Mine (163,990 ounces). Exploration work on the Solitaire property has not fully assessed the strike extent of this zone.

In addition, the report states the New Faulkenham Mine Structure, on which sits the Faulkenham Mine shaft (located approximately 350 meters east of the property boundary), trends westward from the area of the old shaft, on to Solitaire’s Property. Gold mineralization at the Faulkenham Mine shaft, occurs with quartz veining, and was previously tested on the Solitaire Property by Ansil Resources, who reported anomalous gold values in a number of narrow quartz veinlets. Further exploration of this structure is planned.

The terms of the joint venture agreement include the right of Bolero to earn up to a 50% interest in the Baird property by paying to Solitaire a total $60,000 and 150,000 shares of Bolero (subject to a four month hold period from date if issuance as per TSX policy). In addition, Bolero must spend an aggregate of $500,000 on the South Baird Property over the next three years.

About Solitaire Minerals Corp.
Solitaire Minerals Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company with a specific focus on prospective gold properties in North America. The Company has assembled a portfolio of precious metal exploration prospects in Ontario. Solitaire's Ontario properties in the prolific Red Lake/Birch-Uchi Greenstone Belt include the Baird, Golden Pickle, and Chukuni River Prospects, which are held 100% by Solitaire. Each of these properties exhibits excellent potential for hosting high-grade gold deposits and is located within the world class Red Lake, Ontario area.

For additional information you can contact Solitaire Minerals Corp. or visit www.solitaireminerals.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors
SOLITAIRE MINERALS CORP.
"Charles Desjardins"

Charles Desjardins
President and Director

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.