NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.: Mark L. Ellis Nominated Director- Appointed Vice President of Product Development

The Board of Directors of Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GWG) (OTCBB: GWMGF) is very pleased to announce that Mark L. Ellis has agreed to accept nomination as a Director for the Company at the upcoming Annual General Meeting in June 2006, and has been appointed Vice President of Product Development.

Mr. Ellis is currently President and CEO of Great Western Technologies Inc. ("GWTI"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. GWTI currently operates two manufacturing facilities in Troy, Michigan engaged in the contract production of specialty materials including products for the hydrogen storage and nickel-metal-hydride ("NiMH") rechargeable battery industries. GWTI is involved in identifying value-added products that will utilize potential output from the Company's 100%-owned Hoidas Lake rare earth project in northern Saskatchewan. This includes the planning, design, and location of future manufacturing facilities to produce thoese products.

Mark began his career as a service and sales technical engineer while attending the University of Wisconsin, and continued his education/working career attending the American Management Institute, Rock Valley and Rockford Colleges. He has spent 35 years in the Special Machinery Industry, providing engineered solutions to manufacturers on a global basis.

Beginning in the early 1980's, Mark began working with the dry cell battery industry engaged in the production of automation equipment for battery manufacturers located in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. As Executive Vice President of RD System, he began an intensive sales and marketing effort targeting the Chinese NiMH battery industry starting in the early 1990's. During this period, RD's employment grew to 3 times previous levels and sales grew by more than 100 times. Mark spent 50% of his time in Asia during the 90's, and was involved in the development of more than a dozen different new battery facilities located in Korea, Taiwan, and at several locations in China. In 2000, Mark joined Ovonic Battery Company, a subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices Inc. ("ECD"), and was a member of the project management team that designed and installed a $64,000,000 USD NiMH battery and negative powder manufacturing facility in Inner Mongolia PRC. Prior to joining GWTI, Mark served as a Senior Process Engineering Manager for Cobasys LLC, a NiMH Battery manufacturer that is a joint venture between ECD and Chevron Corporation.

The National Republican Congressional Committee have appointed Mark to serve on the Business Advisory Council (BAC). The BAC is part of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and is dedicated to making sure that small business has a voice in Washington. Mr. Ellis will serve the state of Michigan and is expected to play a crucial role in efforts to involve top business people in the process of government reform.

Mark will be working closely with another of our new Director-nominees, Mr. Walt Benecki, in developing our product mix and marketing strategy, focusing on our 'Mine to Markets' integration approach.

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. is a Saskatchewan-based mineral exploration and development company focused on the development of the Hoidas Lake rare earth project in northern Saskatchewan, as well as advancing two copper/gold projects in the southwestern US. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Great Western Technologies Inc., owns and operates manufacturing facilities in Troy, Michigan, currently producing advanced materials for the alternate energy market. Great Western Diamonds Corp. (TSXV-"GWD") is the company's 38%-ownded subsidiary exploring and developing diamond-bearing kimberlites in Saskatchewan.

James Engdahl

President and CEO

CUSIP: 39141Y 10 3

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the foregoing contents