WATERDOWN, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 18, 2012) - Opta Minerals Inc. (News - Market indicators) ("Opta Minerals" or "the Company") announces the appointment of Austin Beutel to the Company's Board of Directors. The appointment of Mr. Beutel brings the total number of Directors to eight.

Austin Beutel is Chairman of Oakwest Corporation Limited, a private family holding company. He retired in 1994 as Chairman of Beutel Goodman and Company, Ltd., an investment counseling firm he co-founded in 1967. Mr. Beutel is currently the non-executive Chairman of the Equitable Group Inc. (Equitable Trust Company), a Director of Aecon Group Inc. and a Director of Astral Media Inc. He is active in several charitable organizations and was Chairman of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre from 1992 to 1995. Mr. Beutel previously served on the Board of Directors of Opta Minerals Inc. from July 2006 to June 2011. Mr. Beutel has a BComm (McGill), an MBA (Harvard) and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.

David Kruse, Opta Minerals Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are very pleased with Mr. Beutel's re-appointment to our Board of Directors where he will serve as an independent Director. Austin's experience will provide our Board with enhanced tactical and strategic expertise integral to internal growth projects and potential acquisition opportunities."

About Opta Minerals

Opta Minerals Inc. is a vertically integrated provider of custom process optimization solutions and related materials for use primarily in the steel, foundry, loose abrasive cleaning and municipal water filtration industries. The Company currently has offices and production and distribution facilities in Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan, Louisiana, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Texas, Florida, Kosice (Slovakia), and Romans-sur-Isère (France) and has one of the broadest product lines in the industry.