Imperial Metals Corporation - News Release 2002 - Successful Drill Program Completed at Sterling

News Releases

	August 20, 2002 Successful Drill Program Completed at Sterling
	Imperial Metals Corporation (III:TSX) is pleased to report that all six holes recently drilled in the completed exploration program on the 144 Zone at Sterling returned significant gold intercepts. Detailed results of all holes drilled in the six hole program are as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hole 02-18* Interval Length Gold Assay ------------------------------------------------------------------ feet metres feet metres oz/t g/t 633.0-762.0 193.0-232.3 129.0 39.3 0.20 6.86 including 705.5-762.0 215.1-232.3 56.5 17.2 0.40 13.71 720.0-757.0 219.5-230.8 37.0 11.3 0.54 18.51 723.7-738.5 220.6-225.1 14.8 4.5 0.99 33.94 723.7-728.0 220.6-221.9 4.3 1.3 2.02 69.26 750.0-752.0 228.7-229.3 2.0 0.6 1.02 34.97 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hole 02-19* Interval Length Gold Assay ------------------------------------------------------------------ feet metres feet metres oz/t g/t 669.0-794.0 203.9-242.0 125.0 38.1 0.13 4.40 including 673.5-692.5 205.3-211.1 19.0 5.8 0.19 6.64 683.0-692.5 208.2-211.1 9.5 2.9 0.27 9.25 687.0-692.5 209.4-211.1 5.5 1.7 0.31 10.70 719.5-729.5 219.4-222.4 10.0 3.0 0.22 7.59 719.5-724.5 219.4-220.9 5.0 1.5 0.30 10.39 745.0-764.0 227.1-232.9 19.0 5.8 0.18 6.04 750.0-753.5 228.6-229.7 3.5 1.1 0.28 9.46 781.0-794.0 238.1-242.1 13.0 4.0 0.17 5.78 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hole 02-20 Interval Length Gold Assay ------------------------------------------------------------------ feet metres feet metres oz/t g/t 675.5-757.2 205.9-230.8 81.7 24.9 0.08 2.74 including 694.5-699.0 211.7-213.1 4.5 1.4 0.13 4.46 728.0-757.2 211.9-230.8 29.2 8.9 0.11 3.77 733.5-748.5 223.6-228.1 15.0 4.6 0.14 4.80 733.5-739.5 223.6-225.4 6.0 1.8 0.20 6.86 736.5-739.5 224.5-225.4 3.0 0.9 0.26 8.91 and 778.2-784.8 237.2-239.2 6.6 2.0 0.15 5.14 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hole 02-21* Interval Length Gold Assay ------------------------------------------------------------------ feet metres feet metres oz/t g/t 693.0-740.5 211.3-225.8 47.5 14.5 0.51 17.56 including 706.7-740.5 215.5-225.8 33.8 10.3 0.70 23.86 721.0-740.5 219.8-225.8 19.5 5.9 1.08 37.03 [*previously announced drill results] ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hole 02-22 Interval Length Gold Assay ------------------------------------------------------------------ feet metres feet metres oz/t g/t 730.0-757.0 222.5-230.7 27.0 8.2 0.08 2.74 including 733.0-740.0 223.4-225.6 7.0 2.1 0.09 3.09 749.2-757.0 228.4-230.7 7.8 2.4 0.13 4.46 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hole 02-23 Interval Length Gold Assay ------------------------------------------------------------------ feet metres feet metres oz/t g/t 717.8-749.7 218.8-228.5 31.9 9.7 0.13 4.46 including 722.0-725.7 220.1-221.2 3.7 1.1 0.21 7.20 742.0-748.6 226.2-228.2 6.6 2.0 0.21 7.20 746.0-748.6 227.4-228.2 2.6 0.8 0.41 14.06 A drill hole location map can be viewed on Imperial's website www.imperialmetals.com. The 144 Zone was discovered in 2001 with holes 01-7A and 01-09 which intersected 110 feet of 0.15 oz/t gold and 45 feet of 0.57 oz/t gold respectively. Initial follow up was delayed by difficult drilling conditions. All drill holes in the most recent program were vertical and drilled with a combination of rotary drilling to just above the top of the target zone and diamond drilling through the zone. Using this technique all drill holes reached the target depths and had satisfactory core recoveries. Planning is underway for a third follow up program which will include 12 to 16 combination rotary/diamond drill holes. Patrick McAndless, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this release. All samples were analyzed by ALS Chemex at their North Vancouver, BC facility. The Sterling property is located near Beatty, Nevada, 115 miles (185 km) northwest of Las Vegas. The Sterling claims and mine site cover approximately 3,099 acres (1,254 hectares). The claims are 100% owned by Imperial Metals Corporation subject to a 2.25% Net Smelter Return. Sterling was operated as an open pit and underground mine from 1980 to 1997. Gold was recovered using heap leach methods and production through 2000 was 194,996 troy ounces from 941,341 short tons of ore with an average grade of 7.44 g/t (0.217 oz/t) gold. -30- For further information contact: Pierre Lebel, President or Patrick McAndless, Vice President Exploration

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