Barker Minerals reports that the permits for drilling and trenching are now in place for the 2009 exploration program on its 100% owned Frank Creek Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) project. The Frank Creek project is located near the historic Likely/Keithley Creek areas of the Cariboo region of B.C. which hosts excellent access and infrastructure in the immediate area where year round drilling can occur if desired. Barker Minerals Property Map

The next phase of trenching and drilling being planned will test the large, strong chargeability high footwall zones where they merge with strong resistivity lows, which could represent massive sulphide mineralization. The scope and size of the 2009 program, which will be set out in a future news release, will be dependent on the amount of financing available to the Company.

The exploration to date has resulted in a significant discovery of a broad zone of overturned VMS stockwork (feeder) mineralization which is open-ended and extends to depth. The VMS stockwork is enriched in precious metal and base metal mineralization with anomalous indicator elements arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and barium. Such a feeder zone typically underlies VMS deposits.

Base and precious metal mineralization in the discovery area from trenching and drilling is associated with a rhyolite flow/dome complex and intermediate to felsic volcanic flows and tuffs. The presence of rhyolite and bi-modal volcanics, precious and base metals, zonation of metals, alteration patterns and mineralogical associations are all indicative of Kuroko style volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits.

Mineralization in the drill holes occurs in veins, as disseminations, in stringers, and in semi-massive to massive sulphides containing high concentrations of base and precious metals. Sulphide mineralization consists of variable amounts of pyrite, pyhrrotite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and sometimes galena.

Mafic dykes occur in some holes within the felsic and sedimentary units. Siltstone, sandstone and argillites also occur intermittently and in some instances are interfingered (peperitic) with the volcanic rocks. Alteration patterns include variable amounts and combinations of sericite, chlorite, silica, carbonate and chrome mica (fuchsite) which is also indicative of VMS deposits.

Much more drilling and trenching are required to determine the configuration, continuity, grade and size of the exciting 2008 VMS drilling discoveries.

VMS Deposits in Canada
To the end of 2005 there has been over $192 billion of historical production in Canada from VMS deposits. They are second in overall value of production in Canada only behind Magmatic Nickel deposits, which have produced approximately $372 billion in metals. VMS deposits can be very large and lucrative such as the Kidd Creek and Brunswick 12 deposits which have produced $33.17 billion and $26.7 billion respectively.

VMS deposits are attractive exploration targets due to the historic (up to 2005) high average value of $176 per tonne compared to Lode Gold deposits at $135 per tonne; Sedex deposits $170 per tonne; Magmatic Nickel $270 per tonne and Porphyry deposits $10 – $25 per tonne.

VMS deposits are one of the most sought after deposits due to their polymetallic nature, and for the high level of understanding of geological, geochemical and geophysical vectors to ore as compared to other deposit types. They typically come in clusters and can form distinct mining districts such as Flin Flon, Matagami, Noranda and the Bathurst Camp which create prosperity for a long period of time in the regions where discovered.

Skygold's Spanish Creek

Although the main focus of this years activities will be on Spanish Mountain where drilling is expected to commence by the end of June, diamond drills have been mobilized firstly to Thunder Ridge so as not to disrupt the much larger program at Spanish Mountain once it begins. Details of the Spanish Mountain program will be reviewed in a subsequent release.

Thunder Ridge Drilling -Spanish Creek Property

Field crews have confirmed that Diamond Drilling is currently underway at Thunder Ridge. The drill program will focus on a new high grade gold and silver discovery made by Skygold in 2008. The results of the first 7 reconnaissance drill holes indicated that a large mineralized corridor at least 450m wide and 750m long was responsible for the geochemical anomaly that was targeted. Five of the seven holes intercepted meaningful gold and or silver values. Highlights from the 2008 program include:

• Hole SC-005 : 45.49 g/t gold over 2.5 metres including 223.0 g/t gold over 0.5 metre.
• Hole SC-007 : 1.23 g/t gold over 11.5 metres including 4.83 g/t gold and 232.0 g/t silver over 1.5 metres and 1.32 g/t gold over 6.5 metres in separate horizons.

The 2008 drill program was the first drilling ever on the Thunder Ridge Zone.  The 2009 program is designed to further evaluate the orientation, continuity and extent of high grade structural controls of the system as well as the potential for bulk tonnage lower grade material across the corridor.

Prince George Property

A trenching program has been completed on the Prince George property to test a gold anomaly that was discovered through a regional silt sampling program with follow-up soil sampling.  Results from the program are expected within the next few weeks.

About Skygold

Skygold is an exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Spanish Mountain gold project in central southern British Columbia. The Company is well funded with a current cash position of $3.0 million and has applied for Mineral Exploration Tax Credit refunds from the Province of British Columbia totaling $2.7 million. These funds are expected to be received in 2009.

Robert Darney, P.Geo. and R. Bob Singh P.Geo are the qualified persons (as defined in NI 43-101) who have reviewed this news release.