Ireland Inc. (OTCBB: IRLD), a minerals exploration and development company that targets properties containing large-scale deposits of precious metals in the southwestern United States, today announced additional encouraging extraction results from a series of seven bulk leach tests on sand material taken from within the Zone S North area, located in the northwest sector of its Columbus Project in Esmeralda County, Nevada.

Cyanide and Thiosulphate Leach Tests

As a follow up to the initial and the second sand bulk tests, seven more bulk sand samples (+500 lbs each) were taken from various locations within Zone S North and delivered to AuRIC Metallurgical Laboratories for leach testing. The average head grade of the seven new bulk sand samples was 0.046 ounces per ton (opt) gold (Au) and 0.695 opt silver (Ag) (see table below). The samples were directly leached by both cyanide and thiosulphate.

The average net recovery for cyanide leach relative to head grade was 91.3% Au and 85.6% Ag. Using thiosulphate leach, the net recovery, relative to head grade, was 84.8% Au and 95.5% Ag. The leach results for the seven new bulk sand tests are summarized below:

Cyanide and Thiosulphate Leach Extraction Results

       

Head Ore (HO)

Caustic Fusion Assay

     

Cyanide Leach Extraction

     

Thiosulphate Leach Extraction

Test       Au opt       Ag opt       Au %       Ag %       Au %       Ag % 1       0.028       0.482       85.7%       90.0%       71.4%       96.5% 2       0.018       0.825      

116.7%1

      91.5%      

*2

      * 3       0.059       0.552       83.1%       71.4%       76.3%       95.5% 4       0.047       1.025       97.9%       96.4%       93.6%       111.5% 5       0.051       0.965       96.1%       63.3%       92.2%       81.6% 6       0.064       0.612       90.6%       94.4%       81.3%       88.9% 7       0.052       0.404       94.2%       92.3%       94.2%       99.0%

Average

     

0.046

     

0.695

     

91.3%

     

85.6%

     

84.8%

     

95.5%

“The encouraging results of these 500-lb bulk leach tests provide strong metallurgical support to our exploration and development program at our Columbus Project,” stated Douglas D.G. Birnie, Chief Executive Officer of Ireland Inc. “It is important to note that these test results indicate that the percentage of gold and silver recovery, from either a cyanide or thiosulphate leach of the sand, appears to be independent from the head grade of the material. The leach test results to date have exceeded our ‘target’ net recovery average of 75% of the head grade.

“We will continue to conduct more bulk tests to evaluate concentration methods and rates as we progress towards finalizing our optimum extraction flow sheet. Our goal is to prove, based upon operation of our pilot plant, that the Columbus Project is economically viable for the extraction of gold and silver,” concluded Birnie.

About Ireland Inc.

Based in Henderson, Nevada, Ireland Inc. is a minerals exploration and development company that targets properties containing large-scale deposits of precious metals in the southwestern United States. The Company is currently involved with two mining projects, both of which are prospective for gold and silver. In early 2008, Ireland completed the acquisition of the Columbus Project located in Esmeralda County, NV, near Tonopah, where it also has an option to acquire additional adjacent mineral claims. Ireland also owns rights to acquire up to 100% of the Red Mountain Project in San Bernardino County, California.

Please visit www.irelandminerals.com for more information.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document may include statements that constitute “forward-looking” statements, usually containing the words “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “expect,” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, Ireland’s limited operating history, future trends in mineral prices, the availability of capital, geological or mechanical difficulties affecting Ireland’s planned geological work programs, and uncertainties surrounding estimates of mineralized material. Extraction rates and mineralization grades from test results on individual samples may not be representative of extraction rates or grades that can be obtained from other samples or from commercial scale extraction efforts. Additional exploration work will be required to fully define the extent of the Columbus Project’s mineralized areas and before proved or probable mineral reserves can be established. There is no assurance that the results of Ireland’s exploration of pre-feasibility programs will result in a decision to enter into commercial production. Ireland undertakes no obligation to update the forward looking statements in this document.

Investors are advised to carefully review the reports and documents that we file from time to time with the SEC, particularly our Annual and Quarterly Reports.

1 - Result possibly due to nugget effect, and as such, removed from average

2 * - test not performed