DEARBORN, Mich."
The award states: "The company utilized advanced drainage control
techniques at the Wyoming County site to transform a waste area into an
environmentally safe area suitable for development. Alpha is also one of the nation's largest
producers and exporters of metallurgical coal, a key ingredient in steel
manufacturing .
White continued, "Both of these gentlemen will direct all the
important steps of shaft and mine dewatering, mine rehabilitation, the
preparation of a scoping study and then the preparation of the mine
for early production.

About Wits Basin Precious Minerals Inc.
The exploration for and development of mineral deposits involves
significant financial risks, which even experience and knowledge may
not eliminate, regardless of the amount of careful evaluation applied
to a process .

sme anhydrite

Since the first EASTEC, over
400,000 manufacturing professionals from the aerospace, defense, automotive ,
computer, medical, consumer products, and other industries have attended,
ready to purchase the latest technologies and services. Approximately 92 percent of the company's reserve base is high Btu coal
and 90 percent is low sulfur, qualities that are in high demand among electric
utilities which use steam coal.
The Bates-Hunter Gold Mine is located about 35 miles west of
Denver, Colorado , within the city limits of Central City. While the discovery of a mineral deposit may result in
substantial rewards, few properties are ultimately developed into
producing mines.

shaft imp

Five focused exhibit areas have been created to make the show more
convenient:
* Precision Manufacturing Equipment + Systems (Buildings 1 + 2)
* Tooling, Workholding + Machine Accessories (Buildings 3, 4 + 5 )
* Automation, Lean + Quality (Building 5)
* Design, Engineering + Rapid Technologies (Buildings 5 + 6)
* Plant, Energy + Environmental Efficiency (Buildings 5 + 6)

The following activities will be taking place at EASTEC 2006:
* May 23 is Aerospace + Defense Supplier Day
* May 24 is Meet the Buyer Day!
* May 24 Associated Industries of Massachusetts CEO + Plant Manager
Roundtable Annual Meeting
* May 25 is Energy + Environmental Assessment Day
* May 25 EASTEC Student Summit and Continuing Education Day
* May 23-25: Automation , Lean + Quality Resource Center
* May 23-25: All New Lean Certification http://www. The Society has members in
70 countries and is supported by a network of hundreds of chapters worldwide.

anhydrite reclamation

osm spreadsheet

"We have known for some time the skill and experience that both
Glenn and George bring to this project. The
Bates-Hunter mill (the "Golden Gilpin Mill") is located approximately
one mile north in the town of Black Hawk.

mines spreadsheet

, The Society of Manufacturing
Engineers (SME) announced today that EASTEC 2006, the East Coast's Largest
Annual Manufacturing Event, will feature five shows in one venue.sme. "It
is very gratifying to be recognized for employees' careful attention to
reclamation plans and development of the land, and this encourages all of us
in the industry to raise the bar and to keep improving.

Business Editors/Mining Editors

MINNEAPOLIS----Wits Basin Precious
Minerals Inc.
The Bates vein, in the area of the Bates-Hunter Gold Mine, was the
second lode discovered in Colorado and helped spark the great Colorado
gold rush of the mid 1800's. Such statements are valid only as
of today, and we disclaim any obligation to update this information.

Includes websites about mining engineering, informational sites about mining equipment and technology and related topics .

shaft analysts

anhydrite minerals

sme. Alpha and its subsidiaries currently operate mining complexes
in four states, consisting of 69 mines feeding 11 coal preparation and
blending plants.
These veins have historically produced approximately 750,000 ounces of
gold to about 600 feet average depth below surface or in excess of
1,000 ounces per vertical foot in the immediate vicinity of the
Bates-Hunter Gold Mine which was closed in 1936. At that time, the
mine shaft was approximately 800 feet deep. Therefore, no assurance can be given that any
size of reserves or grades of reserves will be realized.
The cost of exploration and exploitation can be extensive and
there is no assurance that we will have the resources necessary or the
financing available to pursue projects we currently hold interests in
or to acquire interests in other mineral exploration projects that may
become available.

mineralogy gypsum

Our common stock trades on
the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol "WITM." To find
out more about Wits Basin Preciuos Minerals Inc.

geologists prospecting

Quillen, Alpha's president and CEO. In addition, Wits Basin has contracted with
George Otten as the on-site project manager. They have more than 70 years
of experience in mine exploration and development between them," said
Vance White, CEO of Wits Basin.

regime reclamation

The West Virginia Coal Association (WVCA) and the West Virginia Department
of Environmental Protection presented the 2005 Green Lands award to Herndon
Processing Co.

About Alpha Natural Resources
Alpha Natural Resources is a leading producer of high-quality Appalachian
coal. (OTCBB:WITM) is pleased to announce the selection of
Glenn O'Gorman as the Chief Engineer for the Bates-Hunter Gold Mine in
Central City, Colorado.

explosives regulates

, LLC, in recognition of the "complete and efficient restoration
of the Covel No. 1 Processing Site during remining operations.

ANRG

coal eng

"
Reclamation at the Covel site involved reclaiming coal from the area and
removing rocks and other waste material , leaving the land where a refuse pile
once stood contoured to fit the terrain and fully vegetated .
"Environmental stewardship is a key part of the operating plan at Alpha
Natural Resources ," said Michael J.

reclaiming shaft

org/leancert
* May 23-25: Smart Machining, Tooling + Small Manufacturer Resource
Center
* May 23-25: New CNC Machine Operator Mobile Training Center

EASTEC Engineering Challenge
Take the EASTEC Engineering Challenge to qualify to win one of two Segway
Mobile Transport Systems that will be handed out during the show. Historical and current geological assessments
show potential for the Bates-Hunter controlled veins to extend
downward beyond their current 800 foot maximum depth. Words like "may," "could," "should,"
"anticipate," "believe," "estimate ," "expect," "intend," "plan,"
"predict," and similar expressions and their variants may be used to
identify forward-looking statements.

brine mineral

Ever wonder
what it's like to ride one? On Wednesday, May 24, EASTEC will feature free
Segway demo rides in Building #4!

About SME:
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world's leading professional
society supporting manufacturing education . We believe that up to nine principal
veins underlie and are now controlled by the Bates-Hunter property .

regulates mineralogy

org/eastec has
connected buyers in the East Coast's diverse marketplace with sellers of
advanced manufacturing equipment and services. (NYSE: ANR), a leading Appalachian coal producer, announced today that a
subsidiary company has earned West Virginia's top environmental award for
excellence in land reclamation.

mines regulates

Other comparative mines in
the area reached depths in excess of 2,200 feet and were still in ore
at the time of closure. (OTCBB:WITM), visit
our website at www. If a
discovery is made, the mineral deposit discovered, assuming
recoverable, may differ from the reserves and mineral resources
already discovered and recovered by others in the same region of the
planned areas of exploration.

anhydrite spreadsheet

This
expanded event will take place on May 23-25 at the Eastern States Exposition
Center in West Springfield, Massachusetts., Alpha Natural Resources,
Inc. The company and its subsidiaries employ approximately 3,200
people. Moreover, we cannot make any estimates regarding
probable reserves and mineral resources in connection with any of our
projects and any estimates relating to possible reserves are subject
to significant risks.

greenland reclamation

Through its member programs,
publications, expositions and professional development resources, SME promotes
an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and helps keep
manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies. 1 Processing Site of Herndon Processing
have conducted the type of mining operation and achieved the superlative
results to which all mining operations should aspire," said William B.com

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors

Certain statements contained in this press release are
forward -looking in nature and are based on the current beliefs and
assumptions of our management.
These statements are subject to known and unknown risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual future experience and results to
differ materially from the statements made.

shaft mining

mineralogy osm

"
"The employees of the Covel No.

mineralogy mbendi

We are a minerals exploration and development company holding
interests in four exploration projects and currently do not claim to
have any mineral reserves on any project.witsbasin . These statements are based
on our current beliefs and expectations as to such future outcomes. The risks are numerous and detailed information
regarding these risks may be found in filings made by us with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual
report on Form 10-KSB, quarterly reports on Form 10-QSB and reports on
Form 8-K.

regulates reclamation

Raney,
president of the WVCA .

Bates-Hunter Gold Mine Development Team Announced by Wits Basin as the Mine Prepares for Rehabilitation

spreadsheet brine

EASTEC Now Features Five Shows in One Venue

For more than a quarter-century, EASTEC http: //www.

" The Board of Directors visited the site last
week and reviewed many important aspects of the operation as it moves
forward.

imp prospecting

Headquartered in Michigan, SME influences more than half a million
manufacturing engineers and executives annually.

Alpha Natural Resources Subsidiary Earns Top Environmental Award in West Virginia

ABINGDON, Va.