SPOKANE, WA--May 7, 2009-- Minera Andes Inc. (the "Corporation" or "Minera Andes") (TSX: MAI and US OTC: MNEAF) is pleased to announce its 2009 exploration program on its 100%-owned Celestina and Martes 13 exploration projects in the Santa Cruz province of Argentina. Drilling is scheduled to start in the second week of May at the Celestina project and geophysical surveys were recently completed to further identify drill targets at the Martes 13 project.

Since commencing exploration in Argentina in the 1990s Minera Andes has had a successful track record with two discoveries to its credit, the now-producing San Jos� mine (a joint venture between the Corporation and Hochschild Mining plc in which the Corporation has a 49% interest) in the San Cruz Province and the Los Azules porphyry copper project in the San Juan Province, Argentina. As a result, Minera Andes has extensive expertise and knowledge in the exploration for minerals in the Santa Cruz province of Argentina, in particular, an important emerging gold/silver producing province with four producing epithermal vein mines, three of which have been developed in the last ten years.

Celestina project
A 1,500 meter core drilling program is about to commence on the Celestina project.  The Celestina project is located 40 kilometers southwest of AngloGold Ashanti's producing Cerro Vanguardia mine in the Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.  Drilling at Celestina will explore an area with 10 epithermal veins currently identified that outcrop in an area of 2.0 x 2.5 kilometers.  Surface geology, rock chip sampling, a ground magnetic survey, and gradient array IP/Resistivity were used to plan the individual drill holes.

Martes 13 project
The Martes 13 project is located northwest of the Cerro Vanguardia mine in the northeastern portion of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.. Recently completed geophysical surveys completed by Quantec Geoscience Argentina SA, on behalf of Minera Andes, included 44 line-kilometers of gradient array IP/resistivity and 86 line-kilometers of ground magnetic survey.  A 1,500 to 2,000 meter Diamond drilling program is planned for later this year and will be based on targets defined from the recent surface geologic mapping, rock chip geochemistry, and geophysics.

In addition to the Celestina and Martes 13 Projects, Minera Andes has several other prospects in the Santa Cruz province including the Telken prospect, located west of and contiguous to Andean Resources Eureka high-grade gold/silver discovery. Exploration is also planned for these areas.

Information of a scientific or technical nature in this news release was prepared under the supervision of Allen V. Ambrose, President of Minera Andes, a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101 - "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects".

Minera Andes is a gold, silver and copper exploration company focused in Argentina. The Corporation holds or has an interest in approximately 304,000 acres of mineral exploration land in Argentina, including the properties comprising the San Jos� silver/gold mine (a joint venture between the Corporation and Hochschild Mining plc in which the Corporation has a 49% interest).  Minera Andes is also exploring the Los Azules copper project in San Juan province, Argentina in respect of which a preliminary assessment has been completed and a technical report filed.  Other exploration properties, primarily silver and gold southern Argentina, are being evaluated. The Corporation presently has 230,538,851 shares issued and outstanding.

This news is submitted by Allen V. Ambrose, CEO, President and Director of Minera Andes Inc.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable US and Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include expected mineralization at the Corporation's Celestina and Martes 13 exploration projects. In making the forward-looking statements and providing the forward-looking information, we have made numerous assumptions. Although our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to be materially different from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include among other things, the speculative nature of mineral exploration.

Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update forward-looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. See our annual information form for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement.


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