Great Western Minerals Group launches commercial production with rare earth strip casting furnace at LCM

TSX Venture Symbol: GWG
OTCQX: GWMGF

CUSIP: 39141Y 10 3

SASKATOON, Feb. 25, 2013 /CNW/ - Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. ("GWMG" or the "Company", TSX:V - GWG) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Less Common Metals Limited ("LCM") is now in commercial production with its first rare earth alloy strip casting furnace.

LCM has sold and shipped, on a commercial basis, specialty alloys produced by its strip casting furnace to three existing customers. A subsequent order, scheduled for delivery in the 1^st Quarter of 2013, was placed by one of the three customers for an increased quantity of alloy.

The second strip casting furnace ordered previously by LCM was fully commissioned in China, as scheduled, in November 2012. It is now in transit to LCM with an estimated arrival time of late Q1 2013. Installation followed by the commissioning of the second furnace is scheduled to commence at LCM early in Q2 2013.

GWMG President and Chief Executive Officer Marc LeVier said, "Achieving commercial production with the new strip casting furnace at LCM is a very important milestone in GWMG's progress path as we complete one of the items we committed to achieve early in 2013. The new furnaces represent a platform for revenue growth within our business model. The investment that GWMG has made in LCM's production capacity is indicative of our confidence in the future of the rare earth alloy market. It is equally indicative of the strong level of confidence we have in our internationally respected LCM team led by Managing Director Ian Higgins."

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. is engaged in becoming an integrated rare earth producer. Its specialty alloys are used in the battery, magnet and aerospace industries. Produced at the Company's wholly owned subsidiaries Less Common Metals Limited in Ellesmere Port, U.K. and Great Western Technologies Inc. in Troy, Michigan, these alloys contain transition metals including nickel, cobalt, iron 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 controls the Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine. In addition to an exploration program at Steenkampskraal, GWMG also holds interests in four 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, risks associated with 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 and mine refurbishment activities; 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; 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; the successful and timely completion of its preliminary economic assessment at Hoidas Lake; 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; 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; 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.