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VANCOUVER, Dec. 16 /CNW/ - Entree Gold Inc. (TSX:ETG; NYSE AMEX:EGI;
Frankfurt:EKA - "Entree" or the "Company") has commenced a combined
reverse circulation- core drilling program at its Bisbee project in
Arizona. The initial three hole, 2,400 metre program (including 1,200
metres of reverse circulation pre-collars) will test a discrete buried
geophysical target whose signature is similar to several known
mineralized copper porphyry deposits in the Southwest USA. The Dixie
target is located 6 kilometres north of the historic Lavender pit at
Bisbee (refer to map on
which is reported to contain 301 million tonnes of mineralized material
grading 0.44% copper.




Greg Crowe, Entree's President and CEO commented, "It's exciting to be
drilling along strike from one of the defining porphyry copper deposits
of the last century. Little recent exploration has been done in the
Bisbee camp outside of the known deposit areas, such as the Lavender
and Cochise deposits of Freeport McMoRan. Entree has a unique
opportunity to test a highly prospective target in one of the best
known copper camps of North America with excellent infrastructure."


Entree's principal projects in Arizona and New Mexico were generated
under agreements with Empirical Discovery LLC ("Empirical"), a private
Denver-based group. Empirical has developed proprietary processing and
interpretive solutions to generate targets from regional geophysical
databases.


ABOUT ENTREE GOLD INC.


Entree Gold Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on
the worldwide exploration and development of copper and gold
prospects. The Company's flagship Lookout Hill property in Mongolia
completely surrounds the 8,500-hectare Oyu Tolgoi project of Ivanhoe
Mines. A portion of the Lookout Hill property is subject to a joint
venture with Ivanhoe Mines, through its subsidiary Oyu Tolgoi LLC. The
joint venture property hosts the Hugo North Extension copper-gold
deposit and the Heruga copper-gold-molybdenum deposit. Excellent
exploration potential remains on the joint venture property for the
discovery of additional mineralized zones.


In North America, the Company is exploring for porphyry-related copper
systems in Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. The primary asset is the
Ann Mason property in Nevada, which contains an inferred mineral
resource and considerable potential for additional targets.


The Company is also seeking additional opportunities to utilize its
expertise in exploring for deep and/or concealed ore deposits. Rio
Tinto and Ivanhoe Mines are major shareholders of Entree, holding
approximately 13% and 12% of issued and outstanding shares,
respectively.


This news release contains forward-looking statements and
forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements")
within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, with respect to
exploration results and interpretation, future work programs and the
potential for the discovery of mineralization on the Company's
properties. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of
this news release. Users of forward-looking statements are cautioned
that actual results may vary from the forward-looking statements
contained herein. While the Company has based these forward-looking
statements on its expectations about future events as at the date that
such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee of
the Company's future performance and are subject to risks,
uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause actual
results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied
by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions
include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, the
prices of gold and copper, changing foreign exchange rates and actions
by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal
proceedings and negotiations and misjudgments in the course of
preparing forward-looking statements. In addition, there are known and
unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results,
performance or achievements to differ materially from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Known risk factors are described in the
Company's Amended and Restated Annual Information Form for the
financial year ended December 31, 2009, dated November 2, 2010 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at
http://www.sedar.com/">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. The Company is under no obligation to
update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under
applicable securities laws.






For further information:

Monica Hamm - Manager, Investor Relations Entree Gold Inc. Tel: 604-687-4777 Fax: 604-687-4770 Toll Free: 866-368-7330 E-mail: [email protected]