TMX group

VANCOUVER, March 13 /CNW/ - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSX Venture:
BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") Bear Creek is very pleased to report the
first independent resource estimate of the Corani silver project from SRK
Consulting ("SRK"). The effective date of this resource estimate is March 13,
2006. Highlights of the resource estimate are:

-  Corani Este alone contains 120M ounces silver; where the highest grade
   plus largest thickness mineralization remains open

-  Step-out drilling is in progress to expand the resource north of
   Corani Este and Minas Corani where mineralization is open in several
   directions

-  113M ounces silver in Inferred (45% of the contained silver in this
   resource estimation) is contained in the 80 g/t cutoff category,
   indicating that shallow higher grade zones exist which will
   potentially have a positive impact on the project

This resource estimate, based upon 83 diamond drill holes totaling 14,689
meters and 24 surface trenches totaling 2,594 meters completed through
February 22, 2006, is reported as follows:

Corani Resources - Monday March 13th, 2006

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                                              EQUIV-
                                              ALENT  MILL-  MILL-  MILL-
0.64 OUNCE/     MILLION   OPT                  OPT    ION    ION    ION
 TONNE CUTOFF    TONNES    Ag    % Pb   % Zn  Ag(x)  Oz Ag Lbs Pb Lbs Zn

Corani Este
 - Inferred       42.22   2.84      1   0.73   5.37  119.7    930    676
Minas Corani
 - Inferred       36.87   2.07   1.19   0.46   4.35   76.3    969    370
Main Corani
 - Inferred        8.54   1.11   0.51   0.37    2.4    9.5     95     70
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TOTAL INFERRED    87.64   2.34   1.03   0.58   4.64  205.5  1,994  1,116
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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MAIN CORANI
 - MEASURED
 & INDICATED      27.88   1.59   0.79   0.23   2.97   44.5    486    139
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.57 OUNCE/
 TONNE CUTOFF
Corani Este
 - Inferred       22.37   3.81   1.19   0.97      7   85.2    587    478
Minas Corani
 - Inferred         6.9   3.96   1.77   0.74   7.45   27.4    269    113
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL              29.3   3.85   1.33   0.92   7.12  112.6    856    591
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

(x) Note: Silver equivalent is calculated using metals prices of (Pb
    (equal sign) $0.39/pound, Zn(equal sign)$0.56/pound and Ag
    (equal sign) $7/ounce); 1%Pb (equal sign) 1.23 opt Ag equivalent;
    1%Zn (equal sign) 1.78 opt Ag equivalent

The original drilling at Main Corani was relatively closely spaced
resulting in a portion of the deposit being classified by SRK as Measured and
Indicated resources with the balance as Inferred resources. Subsequent
drilling at Minas Corani and Corani Este was wider spaced and has been
classified as Inferred resources by SRK. Current and future in-fill drilling
is expected to raise the classifications of the mineralization to Indicated
and Measured resources at Corani Este and Minas Corani, which is substantially
higher grade than the original Main Corani, as well as to increase the tonnage
of these resources. Step-out drilling is in progress to extend the
mineralization and the resource estimate will be updated periodically as drill
results are received.
Andrew Swarthout, CEO/President, states "As presently defined, Bear Creek
believes that the Corani deposits are among the best undeveloped silver-lead-
zinc deposits in the world. All of the silver resources occur in
topographically high areas and are potentially well configured for bulk open
pit mining with low stripping ratios. This resource estimate is a snap-shot of
the project; we have already drilled 20 drill holes beyond the data delivered
to SRK Consulting and the resource estimate undertaken by SRK does not include
results from the gold-silver zone located 1.5 kilometers to the south, also
currently being drilled. We are confident that the already large Corani silver
resource will continue to grow as we explore the extensions of mineralization
and additional untested targets with four drills."
SRK has completed independent resource estimation according to CIM
resource categories in compliance with NI 43-101, and is currently completing,
as the QP's, an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report for Corani which describes
the details of the resource estimation procedures and the results. Mr. Moran,
of SRK Consulting, is a "Qualified Person" as defined by NI 43-101, and is the
Qualified Person responsible for the resource estimations contained in this
news release.
Bear Creek will host a conference call and webcast on Monday March 13th,
2006 at 8:00 am (Pacific) or 11:00 am (Eastern) to discuss the results.       
Call-in and webcast information is provided at the bottom of this release.
Please refer to Bear Creek's website at www.bearcreekmining.com for drill
hole locations, trench assay maps, previously reported drill intervals and
detailed assay results.

Conference Call / Webcast

Call-in details for the conference call are:

Date: March 13th, 2006
Time: 8 am (Pacific) / 11am (Eastern)
Number: 416-644-3424
Toll Free: 866-249-2157
To access the webcast:
www.newswire.ca/en/webcast/viewEvent.cgi?eventID(equal sign)1394140

Conference call participants are invited to take part in the question and
answer period that will follow the Company's presentation.
A replay of this conference call will be available from March 13th, 2006
to March 23rd, 2006 and will be posted on Bear Creek's website:
www.bearcreekmining.com. The replay numbers are:

Numbers: 416-640-1917 and 1-877-289-8525
Passcode: 21180920 followed by the number sign

For further information, please visit the Company's website
(www.bearcreekmining.com)

Regulatory footnotes:

All of Bear Creek's exploration programs and pertinent disclosure of a
technical or scientific nature are prepared by or prepared under the direct
supervision of David Volkert, P.Geo., Bear Creek's Vice President of
Exploration, who serves as the qualified person (QP) under the definitions of
National Instrument 43-101. All diamond drilling has been performed using HQ
diameter core with recoveries averaging greater than 95%. Core is logged and
split on site under the supervision of Bear Creek geologists. Sampling is done
on two-meter intervals and samples are transported by Company staff to Cusco,
Peru for direct shipping to ALS Chemex, Laboratories in Lima, Peru. ALS Chemex
is an ISO 9001:2000-registered laboratory and is preparing for ISO 17025
certification. Silver, lead, and zinc assays utilize a multi-acid digestion
with atomic absorption ("ore-grade assay method"). The QC/QA program includes
the insertion every 20th sample of known standards prepared by SGS
Laboratories, Lima. A section in Bear Creek's website is dedicated to
sampling, assay and quality control procedures. Certain disclosure in this
release, including management's assessment of Bear Creek's plans and projects,
constitutes forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous risks,
uncertainties and other factors relating to Bear Creek's operation as a
mineral exploration company that may cause future results to differ materially
from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Bear
Creek expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
SRK has given its approval to the reference to its work in this
announcement in the form and context in which it appears. SRK gives no opinion
on any forward looking statements made by the Company in this announcement.
The resource estimation for Corani is based on 6,964 half-split core
samples from 83 drill holes as of February 22, 2006, and 1,255 surface samples
from 24 trenches; all surface and drill core samples collected at 2.0 meter
regular intervals. Drill hole patterns are typically two to five angle drill
holes located on nominally 100 m spacing of drill fences, with drill holes on
each fence being oriented sub-parallel with azimuths near 70 degrees across
the strike of mineralization, and with inclination angles of -30 to -80
degrees from horizontal. Drill density for the Corani Main target is nominally
50 m spacing between drill fences. Core samples were assayed for silver, lead,
zinc, and copper, while surface trenches were assayed for silver and lead,
using ALS Chemex analytical labs. This database of assay information covers
three separate areas named Corani Main, Minas Corani, and Corani Este.
Assays were capped to remove bias of a few outlier high silver grades,
based on cumulative frequency plots for trench and drill hole data; with 21
Trench data capped above 550 ppm silver, and 20 core samples capped above
550 ppm silver. Based on statistical comparisons, trenches were treated as    
sub-horizontal drill holes; also located at nominally 100 m spacing and
perpendicular to the strike of mineralization. The information from both,
drill holes and trenches, was integrated into a sample database.
Raw assay data were composited to 10.0 m intervals along the trenches,
and to 10.0 m bench composites for drill holes. Assay statistics and
variography were completed for each of the three resource areas to determine
resource modeling parameters. Corani Main was modeled without geologic
constraints, using ordinary kriging for grade estimation, and the physical
constraint of topography. Minas Corani and Corani Este were modeled using
inverse distance squared methodology for grade estimation, with no geological
constraints, and the physical constraints being topography and a relatively
flat plane at the base of drill hole composites that is a natural bottom to
mineralization. A block model was estimated for all three areas using 10 m
(vertical) by 20 m by 20 m blocks.
Determination of resource categories was done according to the following
modeling parameters, and a minimum composite value of 20 ppm silver:

Measured        Blocks estimated using at least 4 composites and at least
                2 drillholes with a search distance of 2/3 of the
                variogram range.

Indicated       Blocks estimated using at least 2 composites and full
                variogram range.

Inferred        Blocks estimated using a minimum of 1 composite and full
                variogram range.

The bulk density used was 2.9 tonnes/m(3) for all three areas based on
core samples that were measured by Bear Creek, ALS Chemex and SGS analytical
labs.
Resources are tabulated for each category and area, at 10 ppm cut-off
intervals starting from 20 ppm silver; resulting in CIM categories of
Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources for Corani Main, and Inferred
Resources for Minas Corani and Corani Este.

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