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Re:   News Releases - Friday, October 02, 2009
      Minera Andes Provides Confirmation of its 100% Earn-In on the Los
      Azules Copper Project
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TORONTO, OCTOBER 2, 2009 - MINERA ANDES INC. (TSX:MAI) (the
"Corporation" or "Minera Andes") is pleased to confirm its 100% earn-in
interest in the Los Azules copper project in Argentina.

As previously announced, Minera Andes exercised its 100% earn-in option
with respect to the Los Azules project effective June 1, 2009. The Los
Azules project was subject to a back-in right by Xstrata Copper. This
right expired on October 1, 2009, without being exercised.

"With the expiry of the back-in right we can now turn our attention to
aggressively continuing to explore and develop this property in order
to deliver value to our shareholders" said Rob McEwen, President, CEO
and Chairman (and the Corporation's largest individual shareholder)

Minera Andes expects the transfer of all the Los Azules properties from
certain Xstrata affiliates to be completed shortly.

The Los Azules copper discovery is a very large copper porphyry system.
Located in western San Juan province (Argentina), Los Azules has an
independently calculated inferred mineral resource of 922 million
tonnes grading 0.55 percent copper and containing 11.2 billion pounds
of copper. This resource, calculated using a 0.35 percent copper cutoff
grade, is defined by an area approximately 3.7 kilometers by one
kilometer. Drilling has also identified a high-grade, near-surface
copper core approximately one percent in grade. Los Azules is open at
depth and to the north. At the current copper price (US$ 2.70/lb) the
preliminary assessment contained in the Corporation's previously
published technical report, indicated a pre-production capital cost of
US$ 2.7 billion with an internal rate of return of approximately 22%
and a net present value of US$ 2.9 billion.

In further news, Nils Engelstad, formerly legal counsel to the
Corporation has been appointed to the position of Vice President,
Corporate Affairs.

This news release is submitted by James K. Duff, Chief Operating
Officer of Minera Andes Inc.

About Minera Andes

Minera Andes is a gold, silver and copper exploration company focused
in Argentina. The Corporation holds three significant assets:

1.  49% interest in Minera Santa Cruz SA, the company that operates
    the San Jose Mine, one of the world's largest primary silver mines;
2.  100% earned-in interest in the Los Azules copper project;
3.  A portfolio of exploration properties near and around its existing
    assets. Drilling on three of these properties will begin in November.

For further information, please contact: Helen Bilhete in the Toronto
office. Visit our Web site: www.minandes.com.

Helen Bilhete
Investor Relations
99 George St. 3rd Floor,
Toronto, Ontario. Canada.
M5A 2N4
Toll-Free: 1-866-441-0690
Tel: 647-258-0395
Fax: 647-258-0408
E-mail: info@minandes.com

Scientific and Technical Information and Caution Concerning
Forward-Looking Statements:

For further information in respect of the Los Azules project please
refer to the technical report (the "Report") entitled "Canadian
National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report in Support of the
Preliminary Assessment on the Development of the Los Azules Project,
San Juan Province, Argentina" dated March 19, 2009, prepared by
Randolph P. Schneider, Robert Sim, Bruce Davis, William L. Rose, and
Scott Elfen, each of whom is "independent" of the Corporation and a
"qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 --
"Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects . This Report is
available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).

The results of the preliminary assessment contained in this news
release is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral
resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the
economic considerations applied to them that would enable to be
categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the
preliminary assessment will be realized. The basis for the preliminary
assessment and the qualifications and assumptions made are set out in
the Report.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and
information. The forward-looking statements and information express, as
at the date of this press release, the Corporation's plans, estimates,
forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and
results. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and
uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will
prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Risks and
uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ
materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, factors
associated with fluctuations in the market price of precious metals,
mining industry risks, risks associated with foreign operations, the
state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards,
uncertainty as to calculation of mineral resources and reserves and
other risks.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and
information. The forward-looking statements and information express, as
at the date of this press release, the Corporation's plans, estimates,
forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and
results. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and
uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will
prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Risks and
uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ
materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, factors
associated with fluctuations in the market price of precious metals,
mining industry risks, risks associated with foreign operations, the
state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards,
uncertainty as to calculation of mineral resources and reserves and
other risks.

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Copyright (c) 2009 MINERA ANDES INCORPORATED (MAI)  All rights
reserved.  For more information visit our website at
http://www.minandes.com/ or send mailto:info@minandes.com
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