Uruguay Mineral Exploration Inc.: Appointment of Julio Porteiro as Non Executive Director and Patricia Rodriguez as Company Secretary

Sunday, August 6th 2006

Uruguay Mineral Exploration Inc. confirms that it has appointed Mr Julio Porteiro as a Non Executive Director, as of August 2, 2006. Mr Poteiro is an accountant and the founding partner of Julio C Porteiro & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in the formulation and evaluation of investment projects and company and human resource development in Uruguay.

He was previously the President of Nuevo Banco Comercial S.A., the largest private bank in Uruguay, leading its restructure and sale to international investors in June 2006. He has also served as President of the Association of Certified Public Accountants, Economists and Managers of Uruguay and was reappointed in November 2005 for a three year period as a member of the Development Nations Committee of the International Federation of Accountants.

UME has also appointed Patricia Rodriguez as Company Secretary and Legal Counsel. Patricia is a lawyer by profession and has previously worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers South America as senior in-house Legal Counsel.

UME Chairman, Tony Shearer, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Julio and Patricia to UME. Julio¦s experience in Uruguay will be invaluable to the company as it continues to convert its exploration potential into operating assets”.

Editors note: Uruguay Mineral Exploration Inc. is a gold producer and exploration company focussed on identifying and developing mineral opportunities in Uruguay. UME is a fully integrated mining company, possessing the skills necessary to explore and develop its discoveries. The Company operates the only producing gold mine in the country (San Gregorio), and is also the leading mineral exploration company in Uruguay having assembled an exploration portfolio based on gold, base metals (copper, nickel, lead, zinc) and diamond prospects. In the first half of 2003, the Company discovered the Arenal deposit, currently the largest known gold resource in Uruguay.

Uruguay Mineral Exploration Inc. is quoted in Canada (TSXV) and London (AIM) and Collins Stewart Limited is the Nominated Adviser and broker.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Contact:

Tony Shearer Uruguay Mineral Exploration Inc Chairman 44 20 7221-9983

tonyshearer@btinternet.com

David Fowler Uruguay Mineral Exploration Inc CEO 598 2 6016354

urumin@adinet.com.uy

Emily Bruning Shared Value Ltd +44 20 7321 5027

ebruning@sharedvalue.net

Chris Rollason Collins Stewart Ltd +44 20 7523 8308

crollason@collins-stewart.com

Source: Uruguay Mineral Exploration Inc.