GWMGF Great Western Minerals Ltd (CE)

TSX Venture Symbol: GWG

CUSIP: 39141Y 10 3

OTCQX: GWMGF

SASKATOON, Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.
("GWMG" or the "Company", TSX:V - GWG) today announced it has appointed
Ron Hochstein to GWMG's Board of Directors. The appointment is
effective immediately.

Mr. Hochstein is currently President, Chief Executive Officer and a
Director of Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison"), positions he has held
since 2009. For three years prior he had been Denison's President and
Chief Operating Officer. Within his CEO role, Mr. Hochstein
successfully negotiated a $100 Million financing and restructured
Denison following the sale of its U.S. assets. Previously, his senior
management positions were with International Uranium Corporation, H.A.
Simons Ltd. Mining Group, Noranda Inc. and North Canadian Oils Ltd. His
responsibilities included project development, exploration activities,
public company reporting, regulatory negotiations and mine operations
management. In addition to his current duties with Denison, Mr.
Hochstein is President of Uranium Participation Corporation, an
investment holding company which invests substantially all of its
assets in uranium.

Mr. Hochstein holds a Masters of Business Administration from the
University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Science in Mineral
Process Engineering from the University of Alberta.

His professional affiliations and certifications include membership in
the Professional Engineers of Ontario, the Canadian Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy, and the Society of Mining Engineers.

GWMG Interim President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Quinn said,
"GWMG is pleased to have attracted another independent Board member
with exceptionally strong qualifications, significant mining experience
and a knowledge base that will be of great value to our Company. Ron
Hochstein's track record with putting mining projects into production
in many parts of the world and his knowledge of global mining issues
will assist GWMG in effectively delivering our projects."

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. is engaged in becoming an integrated
rare earth producer. The Company currently produces specialty alloys
which are used in the aerospace, automobile, computer and high-tech
industries. Produced at the Company's wholly owned subsidiaries Less
Common Metals Limited in Birkenhead, U.K. and Great Western
Technologies Inc. in Troy, Michigan, these alloys contain iron, nickel,
cobalt and rare earth elements. As part of the Company's vertical
integration strategy, GWMG also holds 100% equity ownership in Rare
Earth Extraction Co. Limited, which owns a 74% equity interest in the
Steenkampskraal Mine in South Africa. In addition to an exploration
program at Steenkampskraal, GWMG also holds interests in four active
rare earth exploration and development properties in North America.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as
that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information set out in this News Release constitutes
forward-looking information.  Forward-looking statements (often, but
not always, identified by the use of words such as "expect", "may",
"could", "anticipate" or "will" and similar expressions) may describe
expectations, opinions or guidance that are not statements of fact and
which may be based upon information provided by third parties.
Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions, expectations
and estimates of management of GWMG as at the date the statements are
made and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or
outcomes to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Those factors include, but are not limited
to, the successful and timely completion of its preliminary economic
assessment at Hoidas Lake; the successful and timely completion and the
results of its preliminary economic assessment of the Steenkampskraal
project, the construction, commissioning and operation of the proposed
monazite processing facility and separation facility, mine
refurbishment activities, reliance on third parties to meet projected
timelines and commencement of production at Steenkampskraal; risks
related to the receipt of all required approvals including those
relating to the commencement of production at the Steenkampskraal mine,
delays in obtaining permits, licenses and operating authorities in
Canada, South Africa and China, environmental matters, water and land
use risks; risks associated with the industry in general, commodity
prices and exchange rate changes, operational risks associated with
exploration, development and production operations, delays or changes
in plans; risks associated with the uncertainty of resource estimates;
health and safety risks; uncertainty of estimates and projections of
production, costs and expenses; risks that future Hoidas Lake or
Steenkampskraal and region exploration results may not meet exploration
or corporate objectives; the adequacy of the Company's financial
resources and the availability of additional cash from operations or
from financing on reasonable terms or at all; political risks inherent
in South Africa and China; risks associated with the relationship
between GWMG and/or its subsidiaries and communities and governments in
Canada and South Africa, radioactivity and related issues, dependence
on one mineral project; loss of, and the inability to attract, key
personnel; the factors discussed in the Company's public disclosure
record; and other factors that could cause actions, events or results
not to be as anticipated. In light of the risks and uncertainties
associated with forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not
to place undue reliance upon forward-looking information. Although GWMG
believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking
statements set out in this press release or incorporated herein by
reference are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such
expectations will prove to have been correct. Except as required by
law, GWMG does not assume any obligation to update forward looking
statements as set out in this news release. The forward-looking
statements of GWMG contained in this News Release, or incorporated
herein by reference, are expressly qualified, in their entirety, by
this cautionary statement and the risk factors contained in GWMG's
Professional Securities Market listing particulars available at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.