Stornoway Ventures Ltd. (SWV) and Northern Empire Minerals Ltd. (NEM) are pleased to report that diamonds have been recovered from two separate kimberlite occurrences on the Aviat Project located on the Melville Peninsula, Nunavut. In addition, the partners wish to announce that they have acquired over 5.5 million additional acres of federal prospecting permits and claims surrounding and immediately adjacent to the original Aviat land package. The Project is situated 850 kilometres northwest of the territorial capital of Iqaluit. The Aviat Project now covers a region in excess of 7 million acres.

Both kimberlite occurrences were discovered during a regional 2002 summer sampling and prospecting program designed to follow-up on indicator mineral anomalies generated during 2001. The first occurrence (AV-1) consists of an 8 metre by 40 metre Group I kimberlite outcrop. The ultimate size and nature of AV-1 is unknown at the present time and remains open in all dimensions. 

A total of 228 diamonds have been recovered from caustic fusion of 186.05 kilograms of material (see sieve results reported below). The three largest stones measured 2.20 X 1.86 X 1.32 mm; 2.08 X 1.34 X 1.06 mm; and 1.62 X 1.30 X 0.92 mm. The sample represents a composite of material collected at surface from across the entire outcrop. 

*As reported by the Saskatchewan Research Council.

Eira Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of Stornoway, stated, "We are very pleased to have discovered diamonds at this early stage of Aviat's assessment and we are confident that systematic exploration using geochemistry, geophysics and remote sensing techniques will result in additional kimberlite discoveries in this underexplored region."

Mineral Services Canada Inc., an international diamond consulting firm, was engaged by the partners to complete petrographic and indicator mineral analysis on a sample of the AV-1 kimberlite. Mineral Services reported, "Overall, the petrographic and indicator mineral characteristics of the sample indicate a moderate to high diamond potential for the kimberlite it represents. This assessment is based on the observed very compelling eclogitic garnet signature combined with evidence from peridotitic garnet that suggests sampling of deep lithospheric material on a possible cratonic geotherm."

The second kimberlite occurrence consists of a series of angular boulders up to 50 centimetres in diameter, located approximately two kilometres southwest of the AV-1 outcrop. A 46 kilogram sample of this material was sent for caustic fusion and returned 92 diamonds (see sieve results reported below). The three largest stones measured 1.02 X 0.62 X 0.52 mm; 1.02 X 0.58 X 0.26 mm; and 0.94 X 0.58 X 0.52 mm. The relationship of this boulder occurrence, if any, to AV-1 is not known at the present time.

*As reported by the Saskatchewan Research Council.

Since its acquisition in 2002, the Aviat Project has undergone only a preliminary geological assessment and has been covered with less than 300 regional till samples. Numerous indicator mineral anomalies have been identified throughout the property from this work, including two samples that contained kimberlite fragments. These results suggest additional kimberlite sources are present on the property and further follow-up work will attempt to better define these anomalies.

"The 2002 field season was tremendously encouraging", says John Robins, P.Geo., President of Northern Empire. "Our successful acquisition of such a large land package surrounding this exciting discovery has provided Northern Empire and Stornoway the potential to secure an entire kimberlite field."

The Aviat Project was established as a joint venture in 2002 between Northern Empire Minerals Ltd., Stornoway Ventures Ltd. and Hunter Exploration Group to explore the Melville Peninsula region of Nunavut for diamonds.

The 2002 exploration program, including the collection of all till and Kimberlitic material, was conducted and managed by APEX Geoscience Ltd. under the direction of Dean Besserer, P. Geol., a qualified person under NI 43-101. The samples were collected as chain of custody samples by APEX Geoscience Ltd. on behalf of Northern Empire and Stornoway. As well, all sample processing Quality Assurance/Quality Control was managed by Dean Besserer. All kimberlite samples were processed for diamonds by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Saskatoon, SK., an independent Canadian Laboratory.

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