FORM 6-K

1SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

2Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rules 13a-16 or 15d-16
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of March

Commission File Number  001-31969

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F....[  X  ]..... Form 40-F...[      ]...

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ____

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ____

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes  [     ]            No  [  X  ]

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

 

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NEWS RELEASE

TSX: CLG; AMEX: CLG

Suite 950 – 505 Burrard Street, Box 72, One Bentall Centre, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V7X 1M4

Tel: 604.608.2557   Fax: 604.608.2559   www.cumberlandresources.com

News Release 04-05

March 17, 2004

Cumberland Provides Meadowbank Project Update

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*

 

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

For further information contact Kerry Curtis, President and CEO or Joyce Musial, Manager, Investor Relations

* 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.  

Certain statements in this News Release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation’s Reform Act of 1995.  Such forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance of achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.