TRADING SYMBOL: TSXV - ML

    KINGMAN, AZ, May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Mercator Minerals Ltd.
(the "Company") is pleased to announce that large scale mining equipment has
started to arrive at its Mineral Park Mine in Arizona, facilitating Mercator's
planned phased increase in copper production. This equipment was purchased
from the proceeds of the recently completed $15 million financing.
    The first shipment of equipment to arrive at the Mineral Mine includes a
17 cubic yard capacity loader and a 375 dozer, along with a high productivity
Ingersol Rand DML45 blasthole drill and a water truck. This equipment is
already fully assembled and being put into service. The first of six 100-ton
capacity haul trucks will be shipped on June 2, 2005.
    "We are moving forward with the phased ramp up of SX/EW copper production
at our Mineral Park Mine," said Michael L. Surratt, President and CEO. "We
expect to have our own mining fleet operating at full capacity by early July.
This is the first of several steps we plan to maximize the production
potential of the Mineral Park Mine."

    Mercator

    Mercator Minerals Ltd. is a copper mining company that owns and operates
the Mineral Park SX/EW Copper Mine in Arizona, and is focused on maximizing
the production potential of this asset. As announced February 28, 2005 and
March 9, 2005, the Mineral Park mine has very significant copper and
molybdenum reserves and resources that could support substantially higher
production levels. In a news release dated March 14, 2005, Mercator laid out
plans for a four phase increase in SX/EW copper production to 20 to 30 million
pounds of copper per year and is studying the possible development of a large
scale milling operation producing copper and molybdenum concentrates that
could boost copper production levels to over 60 million pounds per year, with
significant molybdenum by-product credits.
    Economic studies are well underway for Phases 2 through 4, and offer
considerable promise for further increases in production capacity and
reductions in operating costs.

    On Behalf of the Board of Directors

    MERCATOR MINERALS LTD.

    Per: "Michael L. Surratt"

    Michael L. Surratt,
    President and CEO

    The TSX Venture Exchange assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of
    this Release and neither approves nor disapproves of the same.


             Mercator Minerals: HC37 Box 500 Kingman, AZ. 86401
                     Tel: 928-565-2226 Fax: 928-565-9239

Link to this page: