Los Andes Copper Begins Vizcachitas Metallurgical Program: Financial News

Los Andes Copper Begins Vizcachitas Metallurgical Program
Wednesday April 23, 2:17 pm ET

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 23, 2008 -- Los Andes Copper Ltd. ("Los Andes", or the "Company", (CDNX:LA.V - News)(Other OTC:LSANF.PK - News) announces that samples from the Vizcachitas Project have been submitted to SGS Lakefield Laboratories in Santiago for metallurgical testing.

A total of six composite samples, each weighing 25 kilograms, will be used to determine the recovery of copper and molybdenum by conventional flotation. The composite samples are considered to be representative of the different lithologies and styles of mineralization that occur at Vizcachitas and include:

- Enrichment zone, biotite-magnetite altered andesite

- Enrichment zone, quartz-sericite altered tonalite-granodiorite

- Primary zone, biotite-magnetite altered andesite

- Primary zone, quartz-sericite altered tonalite-granodiorite

- Primary zone, high molybdenum composite

- Deep primary ore below top of gypsum

The metallurgical program is designed to confirm and follow up on test work carried out by Lakefield in 1999 that indicated copper recovery of 88 to 92%, although one composite showed recovery of only 77%. Molybdenum recovery ranged from 52% to 84%, although only one composite showed less than 70% recovery. Multi-element assays indicated that the concentrates are clean and that none of the analyzed elements reached levels of concern from environmental or smelting points of view.

Drilling at Vizcachitas continues with two diamond drill rigs, and the current phase of drilling, amounting to 15,000 metres, is expected to be finished by the end of May. An updated resource estimate is scheduled to be completed during June. Following the resource update, a scoping study/preliminary economic assessment will begin in June, with results expected in the 4th Quarter.

Roger Moss, Ph.D., P.Geo, is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for the Vizcachitas Project. Logging, sampling and splitting of the drill core is conducted at the Vizcachitas site by independent consultants Geologica LTDA. under the direct supervision of geologist Ramon Fam. Samples are securely transported by Geologica staff to the SGS Laboratory in Santiago Chile and analyzed for copper and molybdenum by atomic absorption following a three acid digestion. Dr. Moss and Mr. Fam have visited the laboratory and are satisfied that the sample preparation and analytical procedure is consistent with standard industry practice. Los Andes routinely inserts standards, duplicates and blanks into the sample stream and sends 5% of sample rejects to Actlabs for check analysis.

About Vizcachitas

The Vizcachitas Project offers potential for a low strip, open pit operation in an area of low elevation with excellent infrastructure, including water and power in central Chile. The Vizcachitas deposit occurs in the same metallogenic belt as the large copper-molybdenum porphyries Rio Blanco-Los Bronces, Los Pelambres-El Pachon and El Teniente. Based on 68 drill holes previously completed by General Minerals Corporation and Placer Dome, the project contains an indicated resource of 232 million tonnes grading 0.46% copper and 0.014% molybdenum and an inferred resource of 619 million tonnes grading 0.38% copper and 0.013% molybdenum at a 0.30% copper cutoff as detailed in the NI43-101 compliant technical report of A.C.A. Howe International Limited dated February 7, 2007. The technical report, as well as additional information about the Vizcachitas Project is available on our website at www.losandescopper.com.

This document contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectation implied by these forward looking statements.

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