Vancouver, British Columbia – Capstone Mining Corp. (“Capstone” or the “Company”) (TSX: CS) announced today acceptance by the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) of the Company’s Notice of Intention to make a Normal Course Issuer Bid (“NCIB”). Pursuant to the NCIB, Capstone proposes to purchase through the facilities of the TSX and other Canadian marketplaces, from time to time over the next 12 months, if considered advisable, up to an aggregate of 34,014,871, being approximately 10% of the public float of its common shares, as of December 21, 2012. Purchases may commence through the TSX on December 31, 2012 and will conclude on the earlier of the date on which purchases under the bid have been completed and December 30, 2013. As of December 21, 2012, Capstone had 381,507,382 issued and outstanding common shares.

BMO Nesbitt Burns will be appointed as the brokerage firm responsible for making purchases of common shares under the NCIB on behalf of Capstone. All purchases made pursuant to the NCIB will be made through the open market through the facilities of the TSX and other Canadian marketplaces and in accordance with the rules and policies thereof. The purchase price paid for all common shares will be the prevailing market price at the time of purchase. The Company will purchase a daily maximum of 271,787 common shares, representing 25% of the average daily trading volume of 1,087,151 common shares subject to certain prescribed exemptions.

The Board of Directors of Capstone believes that, depending on the trading price of its common shares and other relevant factors, the proposed purchases represent an attractive investment opportunity, are in the best interests of the Company and are a desirable use of corporate funds. All common shares purchased by the Company pursuant to the notice will be cancelled.

About Capstone Mining Corp.

Capstone Mining Corp. is a Canadian base metals mining company, preferentially focussed on copper, with two producing copper mines, the Cozamin copper-silver-zinc-lead mine located in Zacatecas State, Mexico and the Minto copper-gold-silver mine in Yukon, Canada. In addition, Capstone has two development projects, the large scale 70% owned Santo Domingo copper-iron-gold project in Chile in partnership with Korea Resources Corporation and the 100% owned Kutcho copper-zinc-gold-silver project in British Columbia, as well as exploration at properties in Canada, Chile, Mexico and Australia. Using its cash flow and strong balance sheet as a springboard, Capstone aims to grow organically through continued mineral resource and reserve expansions, exploration, and through acquisitions in politically stable, mining-friendly regions. Additional information is available at www.capstonemining.com.

For further information please contact:

Cindy Burnett, VP, Investor Relations and Communications
604-637-8157
[email protected]

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This document may contain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document and Capstone Mining Corp does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable securities legislation.

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Company management’s expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the realization of mineral reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, success of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “outlook”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved” or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. In this document certain forward-looking statements are identified by words including “scheduled”, “guidance”, “plan”, “planned”, “estimated”, “projections”, “projected” and “expected”. By their very nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of mineral resources; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; accidents, dependence on key personnel, labour pool constraints, labour disputes; availability of infrastructure required for the development of mining projects; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; and other risks of the mining industry as well as those factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s interim and annual financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements.