El Nino Ventures Inc.

• Significant drill results include:

  • 5.89% zinc, 1.82% lead, 0.323 gpt gold and 79.9 gpt silver over 57.2 metres in MB-2012-107

    • Including 9.23% zinc, 2.58% lead, 0.336 gpt gold and 108.7 gpt silver over 31 metres
       

  • 4.56% zinc, 1.27% lead, 0.604 gpt gold and 47.1 gpt silver over 125 metres in MB-2012-110

    • Including 7.92% zinc, 1.64% lead, 0.241 gpt gold and 61.88 gpt silver over 37 metres
       

• Metallurgical tests in progress

July 17, 2012, Vancouver, Canada; El Nino Ventures Inc. ("ELN" and the "Company") (TSX.V: ELN; OTCQX:ELNOF Frankfurt: E7Q) is pleased to announce assay results for results for the latest round of drilling from the 18,467 metre drill program at the Murray Brook deposit, in the Bathurst Mining Camp of New Brunswick, Canada (Figure 1). The drill program commenced on February 9, 2012 and was completed on June 17, 2012, 97 vertical holes have been completed for a total of 18,470 metres drilled (Figure 2).

The assay results for 12 holes are reported here (Table 1). Drill hole MB-2012-110 intersected 125 metres of 4.56% zinc, 1.27% lead, 0.604 gpt gold and 47.1 gpt silver. This interval includes 37 metres grading 7.92% zinc, 1.64% lead, 0.14% copper, 0.241 gpt gold and 61.88 gpt silver from 108 metres down hole.

Drill hole MB-2012-107 intersected 57.2 metres of 5.89% zinc, 1.82% lead, 0.323 gpt gold and 79.9 gpt silver from 54.8 metres down hole. This interval includes 31 metres grading 9.23% zinc, 2.58% lead, 0.18% copper, 0.336 gpt gold and 108.7 gpt silver from 62 metres down hole.

Drill hole MB-2012-102 intersected 50.2 metres of 4.15% zinc, 1.05% lead, 0.83% copper, 0.324 gpt gold and 42.5 gpt silver from 83 metres down hole. This interval includes 21 metres of 6.12% zinc, 1.56% lead, 1.07% copper, 0.269 gpt gold and 60.8 gpt silver from 83 metres down hole.

Three holes were drilled to provide sample materials for metallurgical tests on the Murray Brook deposit. Metallurgical tests are in progress in advance of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA or Scoping Study) study in Q1 2013.

2012-2013 Exploration Program

A minimum $3 million budget has been proposed for the 2012-2013 exploration program. The budget includes $2.5 million for diamond drilling work on the Murray Brook deposit and a $500,000 exploration geophysical program on the Murray Brook property and the adjacent Camel Back property (Figure 2). The objective of this exploration program is to explore for VMS deposits at depths of up to 200 metres below surface. The Camel Back property is located in the area between the Murray Brook deposit to the west, which is one of the largest massive sulfide deposit in the Bathurst Mining Camp (BMC), and the Caribou deposit to the east.

The 2012 Program consists of

• $2.5 million budgeted for drill programs for measured resources
  • 18,470 metre drill program began February 2012
  • Delineate the outer perimeter of the Murray Brook deposit and advance the resources into the measured (highest confidence) category
• $0.5 million budgeted for exploration of the Camel Back Property
  • Mapping and prospecting
  • Ground gravity geophysics
  • 2000 metres of drilling with bore-hole EM surveys
• Metallurgical studies

The Exploration Agreement

Votorantim is the Operator of the Murray Brook Project. In January 2011, ELN announced that it provided notice to Votorantim to enter into a Participation Agreement on the Murray Brook polymetallic massive sulfide deposit situated in the Bathurst Mining Camp in New Brunswick, Canada.

Under Votorantimʹs Option and Joint Venture Agreement with Murray Brook Minerals Inc. and Murray Brook Resources Inc., both privately held companies, Votorantim can earn a 50% interest in the properties by funding $2,250,000 in exploration expenditures and making payments totalling $300,000 over a three year period that commenced November 1, 2010. Votorantim can earn an additional 20% interest in the properties by funding an additional $2,250,000 in exploration expenditures over an additional two year period. ELN has elected to enter into a participation agreement wherein it can earn 50% of Votorantim's interest by paying 50% of the costs incurred by Votorantim in the Option and Joint Venture Agreement.

On May 10, 2012 ELN announced that Murray Brook Minerals Inc.(MBM) has been given formal notice by ELN and Votorantim Metals Canada ("Votorantim") of a 50% earned interest in the Murray Brook, Polymetalic project, Bathurst, New Brunswick. MBM has also been provided with a valid notice that ELN and Votorantim are exercising their option to acquire and become owner of an additional 20% (for a total of 70%) beneficial interest in the Murray Brook mining claims.

Qualified Persons Statement

This news release has been reviewed and approved for technical content by Ali Hassanalizadeh M.Sc. P.Geo a qualified Person under the provisions of National Instrument 43-101.

Figure 1- Land tenure map showing the location of the Murray Brook Project in the northwest part of the Bathurst Mining Camp, New Brunswick.

Figure 2 - Plan view of the drill hole collar locations at the Murray Brook Project site.


Table‐1 Composited drill hole intercepts*

*The composite assays provided are of massive sulfide intersections only employing a 0% Zn cutoff
**The widths of the intersections are approximate to the true width of the mineralized zone.
 

About El Niño Ventures Inc. Bathurst Projects

1. Bathurst Mining Camp Project: (Tri-Party Agreement)

Consists of an initial 4,712 claims in the Tri-Party Agreement with Xstrata & Votorantim whereby Votorantim may incur exploration expenditures of $10 million over a period of 5 years to earn a 50% interest. Votorantim may further increase its interest to 70% by spending an additional $10 million over 2 years.

2. Murray Brook Project:

The Murray Brook Project is historically the 5th largest massive sulfide deposit in the Bathurst Mining Camp and has excellent infrastructure. Votorantim can earn up to a 50% interest in the Murray Brook Project by funding $2,250,000 of exploration expenditures over a period of 3 years. Votorantim may acquire a further 20% by incurring an additional $2.5 million in exploration costs over an additional two year period. ELN has elected to participate by paying 50% of Votorantim's exploration costs during the earn-in period.

In 2011, ELN and Votorantim spent $2.1 million on exploration; and completed 10,000 metres of drilling. Drill results to date have been encouraging.

The first NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Murray Brook Zn-Cu-Pb-Ag-Au deposit, which includes explanatory footnotes, is presented in the table below (see ELN press release dated February 28, 2012). The resource estimate is based on various assumptions regarding mining methods, processing and metal recoveries, payable metal NSR credits and metal prices. This estimate makes no provision for capital costs to mine the deposit, nor mill the material mined, as resources are not reserves.

Murray Brook Mineral Resource Estimate Summary

Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

1. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred resources as an Indicated or Measured mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an Indicated or Measured mineral resource category.
2. The mineral resources in this news release were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standard Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council
3. The Dec 31, 2011 two year trailing average US metal prices used in this estimate were $3.71/lb Cu, $1.03/lb Pb, $0.98/lb Zn, $1,397/oz Au, $27.63/oz Ag. The C$/US$ Exchange rate was 0.99.
4. Overall payable metal in the NSR calculation were 81% Cu, 72% Pb, 64% Zn, 71% Au and 56% Ag.
5. Mineral resources were determined within a Whittle pit shell with 45 degree slopes utilizing mining costs of C$2.50/tonne for mineralized material and waste rock, and C$1.75/tonne for overburden.
6. Costs used to determine the C$20/tonne NSR resource cut-off value were processing at C$15/tonne and G&A C$5/tonne.
7. The Murray Brook Mineral Resource Estimate was undertaken by Eugene Puritch, P.Eng. of P&E Mining Consultants Inc.