Coeur Announces Appointment of Top Executives for Bolivian Subsidiary to Operate San Bartolome Silver Mine International Team Also Assembled for Construction Phase Now Underway COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation (NYSE: CDE; TSX: CDM), the world's largest primary silver producer, announced today the appointments of Jaime Villalobos as Executive Director, and Americo Villafuerte, as General Manager, of Coeur Manquiri, the wholly-owned Coeur subsidiary in Bolivia formed to operate the San Bartolome silver mine. In addition, Coeur announced it has assembled its team for the construction of San Bartolome, which is expected to commence production in 2006. Mr. Villalobos is a former member of government and renown consulting geologist who has been instrumental in the recognition of San Bartolome as a world-class silver deposit. Mr. Villafuerte, who will manage the operations at San Bartolome, is a mining engineer and MBA with over 20 years experience in mining, and has managed mines throughout South America for both large U.S. and other international mining firms. "Coeur is honored to have two such highly qualified and respected members of the mining community to head our Coeur Manquiri subsidiary and manage the future operations at this important project, which will be the first modern silver project built and operated in Bolivia, and a significant asset to the local and national economies of that country," said Dennis E. Wheeler, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation. "We are proud to have them guiding this project which is so important to Coeur and to Bolivia." Coeur Manquiri is part of the Company's overall South American operations, headed by Ray Threlkeld, President. Leading the construction of San Bartolome is Alan Wilder, Coeur's Senior Vice President Project Development. The mining team assembled by Mr. Wilder for the construction phase of San Bartolome is headed by Thomas Turk, who has served as project manager for major mines throughout the world. Mr. Turk will be Coeur's project manager for San Bartolome, monitoring and managing the detailed engineering and procurement activities for the project. His work has previously included project management for mining operations in Nevada, New Guinea, Peru and Bolivia for U.S. mining firms, in a career that has spanned more than 40 years and two-dozen different large-scale projects. He will be assisted by David Carmichael as construction manager, who will monitor and manage construction activities at the site in Potosi, Bolivia. Mr. Carmichael, with 25 years experience, has also provided construction management and engineering work to large-scale projects in both North and South America. Rounding out the initial construction team are Larry Kyle as assistant construction manager, and Guy Morelli as project cost control manager for both San Bartolome and Coeur's Kensington gold project in Alaska. Mr. Kyle and Mr. Morelli both bring more than 35 years of experience in their disciplines. All will be employed by Coeur's 100-percent owned subsidiary formed to construct and operate San Bartolome. Following construction, average annual production of approximately 8.3 million ounces of silver is expected during the first five years of production at an expected cash operating cost of $3.50 per ounce. The mine has an initial estimated mine life of 15 years. Construction of the open pit milling operation and processing facility is currently expected to cost approximately $135 million. Total reserves measure 123 million ounces of silver contained in surface gravel deposits, or pallacos, which lend themselves to simple, low-tech surface-mining techniques. Additional mineral resources also hold potential for future expansion. San Bartolome is located near established industrial infrastructure in the historically silver-rich area of Potosi, Bolivia, where more than two billion ounces of silver have been mined. The building of the new mine represents the first modern, large-scale silver project built in Bolivia, generating an expected 500 local jobs during construction, and approximately 370 full-time jobs during operations. The project will also establish a foundation, called Fundespo, to assist in the development of new local industries, such as silversmithing and tourism. Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation is the world's largest primary silver producer, as well as a significant, low-cost producer of gold. The Company has mining interests in Nevada, Idaho, Alaska, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. Contact: Tony Ebersole Director of Investor Relations 800-523-1535 Cautionary Statement This document contains forward-looking statements relating to the Company's silver and gold mining business. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside the Company's control. Operating, exploration and financial data, and other statements in this document are based on information the Company believes reasonable, but involve significant uncertainties as to future gold and silver prices, costs, ore grades, estimation of gold and silver reserves, mining and processing conditions, the completion and/or updating of mining feasibility studies, changes that could result from the Company's future acquisition of new mining properties or businesses, the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), regulatory and permitting matters, risks inherent in the ownership and operation of, or investment in, mining properties or businesses in foreign countries, as well as other uncertainties and risk factors set out in the Company's filings from time to time with the SEC, and certain Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including, without limitation, the Company's reports on Form 10-K and Form 10- Q. Actual results and timetables could vary significantly from the estimates presented. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. DATASOURCE: Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation CONTACT: Tony Ebersole, Director of Investor Relations of Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation, 800-523-1535 Web site: http://www.coeur.com/

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