Scorpio Commences Production Mining at the Nuestra Senora Project, Mexico

    TSX:SPM

    VANCOUVER, April 24 /CNW/ - Scorpio Mining Corporation (TSX:SPM) is
pleased to announce the commencement of production mining from the first stope
in the Hoag Zone at its 100% owned Nuestra Senora project, Sinaloa State,
Mexico. The Hoag Zone has been developed on three levels and stope preparation
is virtually complete for long-hole mining.
    The first long-hole production blast in Block 10-15 of the Hoag zone was
completed on Friday April 18, 2008, and since then long-hole drilling has been
completed for the entire block. With this first production blast, block 10-15
is now open on its full width of 20 metres. It is located between levels 10
and 10.5 and contains a total of 21,298 metric tonnes (MT). The first blast of
this stope provides an extra 3,866 MT to the stockpiles, which currently
contain 79,000 MT. A second stope from the Hoag zone, Block 10-13, is ready
and will eventually provide to the operation another 30,804 MT.
    Peter J. Hawley, Chairman, CEO comments, "The first long-hole production
blast in Block 10-15 represents one more important benchmark the Company has
achieved according to schedule and within budget. The development in ore has
confirmed the continuity and homogeneity of the mineralization within the Hoag
Zone and supports our planned mining method. The production ore will be
transported to the current Stockpile No. 2 at the mill site, which will be
processed following mill commissioning from development ore in Stockpile
No. 1. In addition to the Hoag Zone, development and stope preparation is
ongoing in the Main NW and Santa Teresa Extension zones, where long-hole and
room-and-pillar mining methods will be used. Along with other areas currently
being prepared for higher grade selective mining, we are confident that we
will achieve full production according to schedule."
    President, Mr. D. Roger Scammell, PGeo, is the Company's Qualified Person
for the Nuestra Senora project. Mr. Scammell is responsible for the current
exploration and development program and has reviewed the content of this
release.

    ON BEHALF OF SCORPIO MINING CORPORATION

    Peter J. Hawley
    Chairman & CEO

    This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities
legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements with respect to the future price of silver, zinc, copper, lead and
gold, the timing of construction and production activities, the mine life of
the Nuestra Senora Project, the economic viability and estimated internal rate
of return of the Nuestra Senora Project, the estimation of mineral reserves
and mineral resources, the results of drilling, estimated future capital and
operating costs, projected mineral recovery rates, requirements for additional
financing and Scorpio Mining Corporation's commitment to, and plans for
developing the Nuestra Senora Project. Generally, these forward-looking
statements can be identified by the forward-looking terminology such as
"plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled",
"estimates", "projects", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate",
or "believes", or "variations of such words and phrases or state that certain
actions, events or results "may", "can", "could", "would", "might", or "will"
be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are subject to
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the
actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Scorpio
Mining Corporation to be materially different from those expressed or implied
by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks
related to the exploration and potential development and construction of the
Nuestra Senora Project, risks related to international operations,
construction delays and cost overruns, the actual results of current
exploration, development and construction activities, conclusions of economic
evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined,
future prices of silver, zinc, copper, lead and gold, as well as those factors
discussed in the sections relating to risk factors of our business filed in
Scorpio Mining Corporation's required securities filings on SEDAR, including
its Annual Information Form dated March 26, 2008. Although Scorpio Mining
Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause
results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking
statements, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially
different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended.
    There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove
accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from
those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place
undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Scorpio Mining Corporation does
not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are incorporated
by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

For further information: Glenn Little, Jackson Little Holdings Ltd:
[phone], 1-888-930-4375, Email: [e-mail]; Rich Kaiser,
YES International: 1-800-631-8127, 001-757-306-6090 (outside North America),
Email: [e-mail]