ANDINA Reports Continued Positive Metallurgical Results From Its Volcan Gold Project

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/22/08 -- ANDINA Minerals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: ADM) ("Andina") is pleased to report continued positive metallurgical test results from its 100% owned Volcan Gold Project located in Chile's Maricunga Gold Belt. The results from three column tests, summarized in Table 1, along with load tests, further confirm that the Volcan sulphide-hosted gold mineralization is amenable to heap leaching.

Column tests completed on two composite samples from the Dorado East deposit, P-6 and P-7 grading 0.95 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") and 0.87 g/t Au, respectively, achieved gold recoveries of 77%. These results compare favourably with previously reported gold recoveries, which varied between 64% and 77%, achieved from column test work completed on similar grade samples from the Dorado West deposit (Andina November 21, 2007 press release).

Column test P-8, a composite sample of low-grade mineralization (0.32 g/t Au) from the Dorado West deposit, returned a gold recovery of 63% which is higher than the 57% recovery achieved from a previously reported column test on lower grade Dorado West deposit mineralization.

In addition to the column test work, positive results were obtained from load / permeability tests completed on two samples, P-7 and P-8, confirming permeability of the leached material for simulated heaps up to 40 metres high.

Table 1 - Volcan Gold Project Column Test Results, May 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reagents Consumed ----------------- Test Calculated Gold NaCN (1) Cement Gold Grade Recoveries kg/t kg/t Notes (g/t Au) (%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------P-6 0.95 77 1.25 7.5 Dorado East composite ---------------------------------------------------------------------------P-7 0.87 77 0.84 7.5 Dorado East composite ---------------------------------------------------------------------------P-8 0.32 63 1.03 7.5 Dorado West low-grade ---------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) Sodium cyanide

"Metallurgical test work from the Volcan Gold Project continues to support the view that the Volcan gold mineralization is amenable to heap leaching." said Carl B. Hansen, President and CEO of Andina. "The metallurgical work completed to-date by Andina compares favourably with the gold recoveries achieved by Kinross Gold Corporation in 2007 at its Maricunga mine, a gold heap leaching operation located 23 kilometres to the southwest of Volcan."

With Phase IV exploration drilling completed for the season, Andina will focus its attention on providing an updated resource estimate for the second quarter 2008. As well, Andina will begin to assess the technical aspects of the project with the planned commencement of an economic evaluation of the Dorado deposits during the second half of this year.

As of October 22, 2007, the Volcan property hosted a measured and indicated resource of 2.93 million ounces of gold (115.1 million tonnes grading 0.79 g/t Au) and an inferred resource of 4.20 million ounces of gold (170.3 million tonnes grading 0.77 g/t Au) at a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off.

Load (Permeability) Test Results

Load test results from the leached agglomerated material from column tests P-7 and P-8 were positive showing that the permeability of heap leach stacks, simulated to heights of up to 40 meters, exceeded typical heap leaching solution application rates.

The load tests evaluated changes in the permeability of the agglomerated material when subjected to multiple compression loading as would be seen in a commercial heap leach operation with multiple stacks. The tests simulated heap loadings up to an ultimate height of 40 metres at increments of 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 metres. Additional testing is necessary to determine optimum operational heap stack heights.

Metallurgical Test Details

The tested composite samples, collected from quartered HQ drill core, were selected from representative gold mineralization from the Dorado East deposit (Test P-6 and P-7) and from lower grade gold mineralization from the Dorado West deposit (Test P-8).

The sample material was sent to KHD Humboldt Wedag GmbH, Cologne, where it was crushed to 2.6 millimetres with a high-pressure grinding roll (HPGR). The column tests were conducted by McClelland Laboratories, Inc. of Sparks, Nevada, a metallurgical and engineering firm recognized as a leading expert in gold and silver heap leach metallurgy. The load tests were undertaken by AMEC Earth and Environmental, Inc., Sparks, Nevada. Advanced Mineral Technology Laboratory (AMTEL), London, Ontario, is managing Andina's metallurgical program.

The individual column tests comprised 60-kilogram charges of material stacked in 10-foot tall, 6-inch diameter columns. The test material was agglomerated with cement at a rate of 7.5 kilograms per tonne forming "balls" with an average width of between 5 and 10 millimetres. The cement used in the agglomerating process maintained solution alkalinity at levels between a pH of 9 and 11. Solution application rates were standardized at 5.10 litres per day with a concentration of 1.0 gram per litre NaCN.

The column tests were run for 60 days with the recoveries exceeding 50% in 15 days indicating very fast leach kinetics likely due the high purity (approximately 98%) and small grain size of the gold.

NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 43-101 COMPLIANCE REPORT

Under National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators, the qualified person for the Volcan Gold Project is Ralph Gonzalez, a resident of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Mr. Gonzalez is a professional engineer registered with the Association of Professional Engineers of the Province of Manitoba since 1977 and a Professional Geologist registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists in the Province of British Columbia since 1992. The October 2007 resource estimate was prepared by NCL Ingenieria y Construccion S.A., Santiago, Chile in conjunction with Eduardo Magri, Ph.D. in mining engineering (Witwatersrand) and a Fellow of the SAIMM with over 30 years of industry experience. Mr. Gonzalez is an independent qualified person as defined by NI43-101. A NI43-101 compliant technical report related to the October 2007 resource estimate prepared by Mr. Gonzalez is filed on the SEDAR system (www.sedar.com).

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements, including predictions, projections and forecasts. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to results of due diligence, conclusion of legal documentation, exploration results, the success of exploration activities generally, permitting time lines, mine development prospects, government regulation of exploration and mining operations, timing of scoping-level studies, future share issuances, and title disputes or claims. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "expects" or "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or "belief", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the results of due diligence activities, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of gold; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in Andina's publicly filed documents. Although Andina 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 TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts: ANDINA Minerals Inc. Carl B. Hansen President and CEO (416) 203-3488

ANDINA Minerals Inc. Tracey M. Thom Vice President, Investor Relations (416) 203-3488 (416) 203-3438 (FAX) Website: www.andinaminerals.com

2008-05-22 18:05:05 0369367 MARKETWIRE