VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Dec. 1, 2009) - Atacama Minerals Corp. ("Atacama" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE:AAM) reports that it has granted one million incentive stock options to an officer of the Company. The options are exercisable, subject to vesting provisions, over a period of three years at a price of $0.55 per share, being the closing market price of the Company's shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on December 1, 2009.

The Company also announces the appointment of Mr. I. Rodrigo A. Romo as Corporate Secretary of the Company. Most recently, Mr. Romo was the in-house Securities and Corporate Paralegal for Quorum Management & Administrative Services Inc. ("Quorum"), a private company, which provides management, administrative, legal, geological and other services to a number publicly traded mineral exploration companies. Mr. Romo also acted as the Corporate Secretary for two of the Quorum group of companies, namely, Emgold Mining Corporation and ValGold Resources Ltd. Prior to joining Quorum, Mr. Romo was a Securities and Corporate Paralegal with the law firm of Lang Michener LLP.

About Atacama Minerals

Atacama Minerals Corp. is a Canadian company focused on the discovery and development of economic industrial minerals projects in South America. The Company produces iodine from its Aguas Blancas mine in northern Chile. In addition, the Company holds a potash exploration project in northeastern Brazil.

On behalf of the Board,

Lukas H. Lundin, Chairman