Solitaire begins drilling on Union Mine Property

Monday, October 18, 2004

October 18, 2004: Solitaire Minerals Corp. (the Company) is pleased to announce the commencement of drilling on the Company's 100% optioned Union Mine Property, located near Grand Forks, British Columbia.

Drilling will test the Gloucester Creek zone, the West Union Zone and the Maple Leaf Crush Zone. Depending on trench results, the White Bear zone may also be drill tested. A total of approximately 1500 to 2000 meters of drilling is planned.

For logistical reasons, drilling will begin at the West Union Zone. A fence of drill holes will be drilled to test for the western, faulted offset of the Union Vein.

West Union Zone: Historically, this vein produced a total of 122,555 tonnes at an average grade of 14 g/t Au and 353 g/t Ag, over a width of 1.5 to 7.5 meters, over a cumulate strike length of about 410 meters, and over a vertical range of about 160 meters. The vein is truncated on the west by the Maple Leaf fault. On surface, post-mineral sediments cover the area prospective for the offset portion of the vein, west of the Maple Leaf fault.

A weak airborne EM conductor was defined by the 2001 helicopter-borne geophysical survey (Fugro Airborne Surveys) in the area of post-mineral sedimentary cover to the west of the Maple Leaf fault. It is possible that the airborne anomaly represents a conductive zone beneath the Eocene cover, such as the faulted offset of the Union Vein. A follow-up ground VLF-EM survey was done in July which did not reproduce the airborne EM conductor. Given the depth limitation of ~ 20-30 meters penetration for VLF, however, it is unlikely that this survey would have been able to see beneath the sedimentary cover.

One drill hole has been drilled to explore for the faulted offset of the vein, but was unsuccessful in intersecting mineralization. A fence of 3 diamond drill holes is recommended to test for the faulted offset of the Union vein and to test the airborne EM conductor.

Maple Leaf Crush Zone: Five trenches were dug at the Maple Leaf Crush Zone where previous wide spaced drilling had returned anomalous intercepts including 0.5 meters @ 25.9 g/t Au, 3.0 meters @ 6.8 g/t Au and 2.7 meters @ 3.25 g/t Au. A zone of intense alteration was uncovered in all 5 trenches. This alteration zone is associated with a major east-west trending, steeply dipping shear zone within syenite intrusive. Alteration is variably hematitic, argillic, albitic and silicification, with common quartz veinlets and with local weak to moderate quartz stockwork veining. Minor pyrite, chalcopyrite, and locally galena and sphalerite, occur within quartz veinlets. Trenching tested the Crush Zone over a strike length of approximately 150 meters. The zone was widest and most intense in the westernmost trench, Trench MLC04-1, where it measured 24 meters in true thickness.

White Bear Zone: Three trenches were dug to better expose a zone of epithermal silicification and quartz breccia within Eocene conglomerate and arkose. Previous grab samples from float and very limited outcrop of the zone had returned elevated gold, to 900 ppb Au. Trenching tested the system over a strike length of approximately 75 meters. A strongly silicified/quartz breccia zone, 2.5 meters in true thickness, was discovered in Trench WB04-1. Trenching also uncovered a series of north trending, steeply dipping faults, with associated widespread, pervasive strong argillic alteration, within the Eocene sediments. Narrow vuggy quartz veinlets occur locally within the argillic altered zones.

Gloucester Creek Zone: The 2001 Fugro airborne geophysical survey of the property showed a very strong north-south trending EM conductor along Gloucester Creek. A second weaker conductor parallels the first, about 100 meters to the east. Two trenches were dug in an attempt to test eastern conductor. Overburden thickness exceeds 8 meters in this area; neither trench was successful in reaching bedrock.

This program is under the supervision of independent consulting geologist Linda Caron, M.Sc., P.Eng , a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

The Union Mine Property. The Union Mine Property consists of approximately 1,500 acres located in the Franklin Mining Camp, roughly 60 kms north of Grand Forks. The regional area of this part of the province is locally referred to as the Boundary district and encompasses the Rossland Camp on the east (produced over 3,500,000 oz of silver and over 2,700,000 oz of gold), the Republic area on the south, Buckhorn Mountain on the west and the Union Mine to the north. The Boundary District has a number of historical production areas and several current unmined reserves, including Buckhorn Mountain and Emanuel Creek (in production since December 2003). The Union Mine property is accessible via good quality all-weather road, and contains extensive underground workings. Historical production from a series of ore bearing veins was carried out between 1913 and 1989, with the majority of production occurring prior to 1942.

The above data is referenced in the 2004 technical and recommendations report on the Union Property, written by Linda Caron, M.Sc., P.Eng. The report is compliant with National Instrument 43-101. To view the report in its entirety please visit www.sedar.com

About Solitaire Minerals Corp. Solitaire Minerals Corp. is a diversified junior Canadian mineral exploration company with a specific focus on mineral properties in North America. The Company has assembled a portfolio of precious and base metal exploration prospects in Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Solitaire's Ontario properties in the Red Lake/Birch-Uchi Greenstone Belt include the Baird, Heyson and Chukuni River Prospects, in which the Company has agreements to earn 100% in, but has not yet vested its interest. In addition, the Company has entered into an option agreement with another company, whereby that company may earn up to a 50% interest in the Baird Property. In British Columbia, the Company has an agreement to earn 100% interest in the Union Mine Property, but has not yet vested its interest. In Saskatchewan, the Company has signed a purchase agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Highrock Lake property in the Athabasca Basin.

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. Statements in this press release other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company's business, including risks inherent in resource exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.