U.S. Forest Service Affirms Final SEIS and ROD for Kensington Gold Project in Alaska COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation (NYSE: CDE; TSX: CDM), the world's largest primary silver producer and a growing gold producer, is pleased to report today that the U.S. Forest Service as the lead agency has affirmed its previously-issued Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for Coeur's Kensington Gold Project in Alaska, which supports Coeur's operating and development plan for the project. "We are very pleased the U.S. Forest Service has affirmed the Final SEIS and ROD for Kensington, which represents the most environmentally sound design and economically practicable project," said Dennis E. Wheeler, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "In addition to the affirmation of this permitting milestone by the Forest Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service has issued its biological opinion which concluded the project will not jeopardize sensitive species. As the project nears permitting completion, we look forward to working cooperatively and timely with the State of Alaska, Corps of Engineers and EPA, as they complete their permitting processes, so that Coeur can begin construction as targeted in July and be in full production in 2006. "Coeur is confidant Kensington will demonstrate our leading approach to sound environmental stewardship and resource development," Mr. Wheeler added. Kensington is designed to produce approximately 100,000 ounces of gold annually, with a mine life of ten years. Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation is the world's largest primary silver producer, as well as a significant, low-cost producer of gold. The Company has mining interests in Nevada, Idaho, Alaska, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. Contact: Tony Ebersole Director of Investor Relations 800-523-1535 Cautionary Statement This document contains numerous forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in the United States and Canada relating to the Company's silver and gold mining business. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside the Company's control. Operating, exploration and financial data, and other statements in this document are based on information the Company believes reasonable, but involve significant uncertainties as to future gold and silver prices, costs, ore grades, estimation of gold and silver reserves, mining and processing conditions, currency exchange rates, and the completion and/or updating of mining feasibility studies, changes that could result from the Company's future acquisition of new mining properties or businesses, the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), regulatory and permitting matters, risks inherent in the ownership and operation of, or investment in, mining properties or businesses in foreign countries, as well as other uncertainties and risk factors set out in the Company's filings from time to time with the SEC and the Ontario Securities Commission, including, without limitation, the Company's reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Actual results and timetables could vary significantly from the estimates presented. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. DATASOURCE: Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation CONTACT: Tony Ebersole, Director of Investor Relations of Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation, 800-523-1535 Web site: http://www.coeur.com/

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