News Releases - Tuesday, December 16, 2008
BacTech Partners with University of Toronto Researchers to
Advance its Bioleaching Technology
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Toronto, Canada, December 16, 2008 - BacTech Mining Corporation
("BacTech" or the "Company", TSX.V: BM) is pleased to announce that is
has begun working with University of Toronto researchers, Dr. Grant
Ferris and Dr. Chris Kennedy. Dr. Ferris, a Professor in the
University's Department of Geology, is also the Director of the
Microbial Geochemistry Laboratory ("MGL"), with over 25 years of
experience investigating the interaction of metals and bacteria. Dr.
Kennedy, also a member of MGL, has 10 years' experience investigating
microbial-metal interactions ranging from modern day volcanogenic
massive sulphide and iron oxide deposits, to nuclear waste geological
repositories, and also has experience in mining corporate finance.

Dr. Kennedy will be consulting with BacTech's Vice President of
Technology and Engineering, Dr. Paul Miller, to further develop
BacTech's bioleaching technology. The analytical facilities in the MGL
and the Department of Geology are uniquely suited for bioleaching test
work, and the partnership created here will assist BacTech in
developing site specific solutions for the processing of difficult to
treat ore and tailings in an environmentally responsible and
economically beneficial manner. Dr. Miller stated, "This is a great
step forward in enabling BacTech to progress our technology, as well as
adding a greater capability when assessing environmental remediation
projects such as at Cobalt, Ontario."

Microbial Geochemistry Laboratory website:
http://www.geomicrobiology.ca/

BACTECH PROFILE

BacTech has developed and patented bacterial oxidation technology for
the treatment of refractory ores and concentrates to enhance the
recovery of gold, silver and base metals. BacTech has successfully
commissioned three bioleach plants for gold and demonstrated its
technology in the selective recovery of base metals from complex
sulphide concentrates in a joint project with Industrias Peñoles de
C.V. of Mexico that was completed in 2001. The Company's focus is the
acquisition of equity positions in projects amenable to bioleaching. In
June, the Company signed an agreement to acquire Yamana Gold Inc.'s 33%
interest in two refractory gold deposits in Papua New Guinea. BacTech
is also active in the Cobalt region of Ontario, studying the use of
bioleaching as an environmental reclamation technology.