ECU Silver Receives Environmental License for Current and Future Operations

TORONTO, ONTARIO --(Marketwire - Feb. 3, 2010)

ECU Silver Mining Inc. (TSX:ECU) is pleased to report that its Mexican operating unit has received a "Licencia Ambiental Unica" (the LAU), effectively, a unified environmental license.

The LAU replaces all existing environmental permits for the operations at Velardena and provides the necessary license for expansion of the current sulphide operations by adding a 1500 tonnes per day ("tpd") mill as well as the continuation of all current operations.

The granting of the LAU is a very important accomplishment in the Company's work to expand its mining operations that will eventually encompass a new 1500 tpd mill for processing sulphides. The scoping study which will outline, on a preliminary basis, the economics for the larger milling operations, will be delivered by the end of the first quarter of 2010 and is the first phase of the Company's future plan to grow to 5000 tpd.

The main feature of the LAU is that it provides for all permits, authorizations and licenses in environmental matters through a comprehensive approach that looks at the impacts to air, water and soil. It is applicable to all our current operations and will be applicable to future expansions as outlined in our submitted Environmental Impact Study to be included in our scoping study.

The LAU is a direct regulatory instrument for industrial businesses which falls under Mexican federal jurisdiction and sets out the conditions for operations in accordance with environmental legislation. It complies with the requirements of SEMARNAT which is the Cabinet level department of the Executive branch responsible for developing environmental policy and legislation.

About ECU Silver:
ECU Silver Mining Inc. is focused on the exploration, development and mining of gold, silver and base metals at its Velardena District Properties in Durango, Mexico. The Company holds a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource of 40 million silver equivalent ounces in the measured and indicated category and 391 million silver equivalent ounces in the inferred category. The Company also owns two mills with a combined capacity of 820 tonnes per day. ECU's mission is to become a pre-eminent silver and gold producer through the development of its existing and potential mineral resources at Velardena.

Cautionary Statements:
The securities offered have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the benefit of, U.S. persons except in certain transactions exempt from the registration requirements of such Act. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities, in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future results of operations, performance and achievements of ECU, including potential financings and potential property acquisitions, the timing, content, cost and results of proposed work programs, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, geological interpretations, proposed production rates, potential mineral recovery processes and rates, proposed business and financing plans, business trends and future operating revenues. Although ECU believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. ECU cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by ECU are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, significant downward variations in the market price of any minerals produced, and ECU's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. All of the ECU's public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to ECU's mineral properties.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this press release.