North American Gem Inc. receives additional coal prospecting permits north of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan

<< The Company has received an additional 154 Coal Prospecting Permits TSX-Venture: NAG >>

North American Gem Inc. (TSX-V symbol: NAG) (The Company) would like to announce that the Company has received an additional 154 Coal Prospecting Permits from Saskatchewan Energy and Resources, near the most recent coal discovery by Goldsource Mines Inc. (TSX-V symbol: GXS). This now brings the total to 223 Coal Prospecting Permits covering an area of 422,135 acres (200,832 hectares) that have been approved by Saskatchewan Energy and Resources.

North American Gem would also like to announce that several second priority permits have been advanced to first priority status, increasing the total of first priority status to 895 confirmed coal prospecting permit applications (not including the 223 approved applications).

Hillsborough Announces Private Placement and Coal Production Financing

Hillsborough Resources Limited (TSX:HLB) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce a financing totaling USD$6 million provided by the Vitol Group of companies ("Vitol") of Geneva.

The financing consists of a private placement of 7,200,000 shares in the common stock of the Corporation priced at CAD 40 cents per share, payable in cash. The balance is made up of loans against future coal deliveries under the coal off-take agreement between Quinsam Coal Corporation and Vitol which was announced in our press release dated April 2, 2008.

The Corporation and Vitol today entered into a subscription agreement providing for the private placement, which is subject to customary closing conditions for transactions of this nature. The Corporation expects that the private placement will close within the next two weeks.

Western Canadian Coal Provides Operations Update

Western Canadian Coal Corp. (TSX: WTN, WTN.DB & WTN.WT and AIM: WTN) ("Company") announces that mining at the Willow Creek Mine has commenced as planned. Commercial production of low-volatile PCI coal should be available for sale early in 2009.

Coal markets continue to be strong, with all hard coking coal production from the Wolverine operations currently sold at approximately US$ 300 per tonne and all low-volatile PCI coal at the Brule operation sold at approximately US$ 248 per tonne. These coal prices are locked in to March 31, 2009. Further evidence of the strong coal markets are the recent 2009 calendar year coking coal contract settlements by the US metallurgical coal producers at prices similar to what other global producers have experienced for the 2008 coal year.

Homeland Energy Confirms 114 Million Ton Coal Resource and 45 Million Ton Reserve for Appolo Fuels Mines in Central Appalachian Region of United States

- Independent technical report supports valuation of US$353 million for Appolo mines

Homeland Energy Group Ltd. (TSX: HEG) ('Homeland' or 'the Company'), announces the results of an independent technical report (ITR) confirming resources and reserves for the Appolo Fuels mines, located along the Kentucky/Tennessee border in the United States. The report, undertaken by Norwest Corporation for Homeland Energy Group, confirms a measured and indicated mineral resource of 114 million short tons (103 million metric tonnes) with a saleable mineral reserve of 45 million short tons (41 million metric tonnes).