Cumberland Resources (CLG)

[Ed Monton]

Cumberland Provides Meadowbank Project Update

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--CUMBERLAND RESOURCES LTD. (TSX: CLG;
AMEX: CLG) reports that the feasibility study at its 100% owned
Meadowbank Gold Project will not be completed by the end of the
first quarter as originally planned. Due to seasonal constraints
in shipping, the delay in the feasibility study will result in a
one-year setback to the planned development of the project.

Initial elements of the pre-production capital cost estimates
provided by AMEC E&C Services Canada (AMEC) are higher than
expected and reflect recent escalations in steel, fuel, and other
construction consumables. In conjunction with finalizing the
feasibility study AMEC (study manager) will examine alternatives
to optimize capital costs and gold production.

"Although the delay in the development of the project is
unfortunate, the additional time will enable the Company to
complete the remaining elements of the study including mining
designs, schedules and operating cost estimates and complete a
thorough evaluation of the various capital cost and production
alternatives that are available," stated Kerry Curtis, President
and CEO.

Meadowbank is host to the third largest undeveloped gold resource
in Canada with six closely spaced near surface gold deposits:

 
  
 Meadowbank Project Resources - Q1/2004(1) 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 
 Resource Category            Tonnes    Grade (g/t)   Ounces Gold 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 
 Measured and Indicated   21,685,100          4.30      2,998,000 
 Inferred                  5,699,700          4.30        788,000 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 
  
 

......................



Cumberland's 2004 exploration program at Meadowbank, including
two phases of diamond drilling totaling approximately 12,000
metres, will commence in the next several weeks. The $4.7 million
exploration program will focus on exploration near existing gold
deposits, numerous recently-defined prospects, and grassroots
exploration within the 25 kilometre gold trend.

Cumberland is a well financed mineral exploration and development
company which holds interests in two undeveloped gold properties
in Nunavut, Canada: Meadowbank (100%) and Meliadine West (22%
carried to production).

CUMBERLAND RESOURCES LTD.

Kerry M. Curtis, B.Sc., P.Geo., President and CEO

(1) Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have
demonstrated economic viability. Mineral resource estimates do
not account for mineability, selectivity, mining loss and
dilution. These mineral resource estimates include inferred
mineral resources that are normally considered too speculative
geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that
would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is
also no certainty that these inferred resources will be converted
to measured and indicated categories through further drilling, or
into mineral reserves once economic considerations are applied.
The standards employed by AMEC in estimating the mineral
resources differ significantly from the requirements of the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the resource
information reported by United States companies. The term
"resources" does not equate to "reserve" and normally may not be
included in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. "Resources" are sometimes referred to as
"mineralization" or "mineral deposits".

Resource estimates were prepared in conformance with the
requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 by AMEC
independent qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101. All
resource estimates (except for the PDF deposit which is not
included in the current feasibility study) have been prepared by
AMEC independent qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101 under
the direction of Steve Blower, P.Geo.

This document contains certain forward looking statements which
involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not
under the Company's control which may cause actual results,
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially
different from the results, performance or expectations implied
by these forward looking statements.

-30-

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Cumberland Resources Ltd.
Kerry Curtis
President and CEO
[phone]
[phone] (FAX)
or
Cumberland Resources Ltd.
Joyce Musial
Manager, Investor Relations
[phone]
[phone] (FAX)
Website: www.cumberlandresources.com