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Southern Hemisphere Mining Limited: Southern Hemisphere Mining Limited: Exploration Drilling Results at the Los Pumas Manganese

TORONTO, CANADA--(Marketwire - Feb. 26, 2009) - Southern Hemisphere Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE:SH) ("Southern Hemisphere Mining" or the "Company"), is pleased to provide an update on its exploration activities at the Los Pumas Manganese Project in Northern Chile.

Background

Los Pumas Project - Background

The Los Pumas Project is a multiple layered tabular style manganese occurrence with a surface expression of 3.6 km in length and a width of 700 meters. This occurrence could potentially host a significant resource of manganese mineralization. The upper layer of manganese mineralization sub outcrops over this surface expression.

Location and Infrastructure

The Los Pumas Project is located 170 km by road inland from the Port of Arica. The Port of Arica has modern multi-user facilities for ship loading bulk commodities. There are undercover storage facilities for 30,000 tonne bulk shipments, ship loading conveyors, and an adjacent berth capable of accepting ships with draught of 10m. The road between Arica and the Los Pumas Project forms part of a well constructed highway that connects Arica to La Paz in Bolivia. The nearest town to the Project is Putre which lies some 28 kms south east of the Project. An existing rail connection is accessible 11 km from the Los Pumas project site. This railroad is currently inoperative but is expected to reopen in about two years time. This rail connection has a terminal at the Port of Arica.

Project Exploration and Development

SHM has carried out the first phase to prepare a preliminary resource estimate and to undertake preliminary metallurgical testwork. The drilling and metallurgical testwork programs will be followed by a pre feasibility and feasibility study for the project.

First Phase Exploration Program and Results

The first phase drilling program, consisting of 79 reverse circulation drill holes totaling 2011 metres, at the Project has been completed and the assay results received.

The manganese mineralization is largely hosted in ignimbrite. Of the 2011 metres drilled 938 were assayed for manganese ("Mn") and other constituent elements and minerals. From the results received to date the mineralization can be characterised as a large, medium to low grade manganese deposit with moderate to low levels of the contaminant phosphorous, low levels of iron and low to moderate levels of alumina.

Significant intercepts include:

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Hole From To Intercept Mn % P % Al % Fe2O3 % SiO2 %
Nos. Depth Depth m
 (m) (m)
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RCLP001 0 3 3 10.3 0.22 5.7 2.7 54
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RCLP002 12 14 2 21.0 0.14 4.6 1.2 50
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RCLP006 5 13 8 9.2 0.14 7.2 1.8 62
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RCLP009 21 26 6 9.2 0.22 7.1 2.7 61
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RCLP011 3 9 6 8.1 0.07 5.5 1.4 61
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RCLP011 11 13 2 12.6 0.19 7.1 2.2 55
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RCLP021 0 5 5 11.8 0.12 6.3 2.9 57
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RCLP022 0 5 5 9.0 0.08 5.7 1.7 62
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RCLP022 8 11 3 9.3 0.05 5.7 1.2 64
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RCLP028 19 22 3 9.7 0.06 5.3 3.4 54
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RCLP030 15 20 5 14.2 0.05 5.3 2.9 49
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RCLP031 0 5 5 10.8 0.10 6.2 3.2 58
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RCLP043 0 4 4 12.1 0.06 5.4 4.4 53
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RCLP073 8 14 6 10.7 0.03 5.7 1.5 61
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RCLP074 9 12 3 21.6 0.05 4.0 3.0 47
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RCLP075 20 25 5 11.8 0.07 5.0 3.0 56
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RCLP076 15 31 16 12.5 0.06 5.2 3.2 55
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RCLP076 35 39 4 19.0 0.13 4.1 3.6 45
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RCLP078 5 10 5 15.2 0.04 4.9 1.3 56
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Future Activities

Metallurgical test work on samples collected during drilling and interpretation of the drilling results are currently under way. The results of this work will be used to guide a second drilling program planned for commencement during March 2009.

Assays and Analysis

All analyses for the current drilling program were carried out by Andes Assay Laboratory an accredited analytical laboratory located in Arica, Chile.

A number of check samples have been analysed by ALS in La Serena, Chile and results to date indicate satisfactory correlation between laboratories.

Qualified Person

The above drilling and sampling program was under the direct control of Mr Igor Collado the Company's VP Exploration and Senior Geologist. Mr Collado has over 20 years of experience in the Chilean mining and exploration industry and has been, designated as the qualified person as defined by the National Instrument 43-101.

Trevor Tennant with considerable experience in the manganese mining business has visited the site during the commencement of the drilling program and has been responsible for the compilation of all technical information with respect to this news release.

About Southern Hemisphere Mining Limited

Southern Hemisphere is a South American focused resource company focused on exploring for large tonnage base metal opportunities in Chile. In addition to the Los Pumas manganese Project, the Company currently has four base metal projects in Chile covering approximately 177 km2 of prospective exploration ground covering four mineralized porphyry copper systems. These projects, La Santas, El Arrayan, Mantos Grandes and San Jose, are all located within the Chilean copper belt and in the case of two of the projects are in close proximity to existing large copper or copper /gold mining operations.