TSXV: CNC
OTCBB: CNYC

VANCOUVER, April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Canyon Copper Corp. ("Canyon") (TSX-V: CNC) (OTCBB: CNYC) is very pleased to announce that Mr. David Jenkins, P.Geo. and Mr. John Kerr, P.Eng. have accepted invitations to join the newly created Canyon Copper Advisory Board which will assist Canyon's management in the evaluation and development of the Moonlight and New York Canyon Projects.

"We are extremely pleased to be able to bring such highly regarded and knowledgeable people into Canyon Copper.  Mr Jenkins and Mr. Kerr bring a legacy of exploration and geological expertise to our team that we believe will strengthen our ability to move our programs towards success," stated Tony Harvey, Chairman, Canyon Copper Corp.

David M. Jenkins - P.Geo, a senior Geologist and mining consultant. David brings over 40 years of technical and managerial experience in the mining industry; serving with Placer Development Limited for 18 years and various junior/senior mining company clients for over 20 years.  He worked extensively in Central America as General manager of Placer Development's regional mineral exploration subsidiary and later as Vice-President for Triton Mining Corporation that operated gold mines in Nicaragua and North America. He has managed programs exploring porphyry copper, epithermal gold, lead/zinc/silver, gold/silver and magnesite projects that materially contributed to the development of six mines in five different countries.

Mr. Jenkins led Sheffield Resources Ltd into a new evaluation of the Moonlight copper oxide and sulphide deposits in 2005-2007, which work was the basis for the first NI 43-101 report that qualified the sulphide resource and described the oxide deposit and its potential. This report is part of the extensive data base upon which Canyon proposes to build its evaluation and economic assessment of the Moonlight project.

John Kerr, P. Eng. Geologist. Mr. Kerr graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1964 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc) degree in Geological Engineering. He has participated in the mining industry continuously since graduation as an exploration geologist. His expertise is epithermal and sedex-hosted precious metal deposits in the southwest United States, strata controlled gold deposits and porphyry copper/gold/molybdenum deposits of the western Cordillera and VMS deposits in all areas of North America. Successful ventures include recognition and discovery of the Santa Fe gold mine, identification of the Calvada gold mine located on the northern boundary of the New Canyon property, and discovery of the Mindora gold/silver deposit, all located in Nevada. He is also credited with early identification of two VMS deposits at the Rambler Mine in Newfoundland and recognition of the Frasergold strata controlled gold deposit in British Columbia. Mr. Kerr has served as a director of numerous public companies and is currently a Director of Quaterra Resources (NYSE Amex: QMM, TSX.V: QTA) and Bravada Gold Corp (TSX-V:BVA).

During the early exploration of the Santa Fe and Calvada deposits (1973-1979), Mr Kerr familiarized himself with exploration endeavours on the Longshot Ridge copper skarn and the Copper Queen porphyry copper deposits on the New York Canyon property. His knowledge of these deposits will provide invaluable input to ongoing development.

Upcoming programs for Canyon Copper:

Proposed Drill Program on Longshot Ridge

In late 2012, Canyon plans to drill test oxide mineralization that was identified to the north and northeast of the Longshot Ridge deposit. Two other areas of oxide copper occur in the north central part of the claims, the Buffington Springs and the Powerline Showings. These have yet to be assessed but have potential as additional sources of oxide copper. Historically, high grade oxide copper was hand mined from these two areas for direct shipment.

Proposed Drill Program on Moonlight Property

Canyon is also pleased to announce that it has started permitting for a shallow reverse drill program at the Moonlight copper oxide deposit in order to establish a resource estimate of the oxide mineralization in a manner compliant with NI 43-101 regulations. The drill program is planned for early summer 2012 and will be greatly facilitated by the network of new logging roads in the area. In support of this work the old drill core, in storage in nearby Crescent Mills, will be re-logged to confirm the limits of the oxide mineralization. As previously disclosed, the Moonlight copper oxide deposit represents a significant target for Canyon's exploration and in a 1972 internal report for American Exploration and Mining Company ("Amex"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Placer Dome, C. Gillette, a mining engineer employee of Amex, reported a historical oxide "resource" of 12.2 million tons of "ore" at an average grade of 0.54% Cu at a cutoff grade of 0.25% Cu, overlain by 10.8 million tons of "waste". This "waste" was so characterized because of a lack of assaying of the top 3 - 9.1 meters (10 - 30 feet) of the drill holes.  Sheffield recovered more than 0.25% copper from virtually all the near surface material when drilling adjacent to holes where Amex had drilled and reported 6m (20 feet) of overburden. This suggests a target size for the oxide resource could be larger than the preliminary Amex estimate.  The historical "ore" cited above is mentioned for historical purposes only and uses terminology not compliant with current reporting standards.  The reliability of these historical estimates is unknown but considered relevant by Canyon as it represents a significant target for future exploration work by Canyon.  The qualified person has not made any attempt to re-classify the estimates accordingly to current NI 43-101 standards of disclosure or the CIM definitions.  Canyon is not treating this estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves as defined in NI 43-101.  Historical "ores" are not equivalent to mineral reserves or resources as they are not supported by at least a feasibility study.

Canyon is focusing on the oxide deposits at the start of the exploration and development of both the New York Canyon and the Moonlight Copper properties for the following reasons:

• Both have the potential to be brought into production in a shorter time than the much larger operational size that is represented by the sulphide bodies associated with the oxide bodies.
• The capital and operating expense for a copper leach operation would be expected to be much less than that of a larger sulphide recovery plant.
• The oxide deposits can produce high quality cathode copper that is often sold promptly at a premium to the traditional refined metal prices for copper.
• Sulphide concentrates are sold to a smelter and are subject to variable treatment and refining charges (TC/RC), currently at about $80/tonne of 90% of the contained copper in the concentrate, and higher freight costs since the sulphide concentrate generally has less than 30% by weight of copper metal in it. This results in additional freight costs for the 70% waste and moisture in the copper sulphide concentrate. Payment may take months to complete through times of varying metal prices and foreign exchange rates.

Qualified Person

Benjamin Ainsworth, P. Eng, BC, with Licence #8648 and the President of Canyon, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Benjamin Ainsworth"

CANYON COPPER CORP.
Benjamin Ainsworth, President

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

This News Release may contain, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phases such as "believe," "expect," "plan," "anticipate" and similar expressions identifying forward-looking statements. Investors should not rely on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Canyon's expectations, and expressly does not undertake any duty to update forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to the following, Canyon's ability to implement its proposed drill programs on the Moonlight Property and the New York Canyon Project, Canyon's ability to obtain additional financing, uncertainty of estimates of mineralized material and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canyon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Regarding Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources

This News Release may use the terms "measured", "indicated" and "inferred" "resources."  We advise U.S. investors that while these terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the SEC does not recognize them.  "Inferred resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility.  It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category.  Under Canadian rules, estates of "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of a feasibility study or prefeasibility studies, except in rare cases.  The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade, without reference to unit measures.  U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of a measured, indicated or inferred resource exists or is economically or legally mineable.

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.

SOURCE Canyon Copper Corp.