Western Copper Provides Update on Proposed Spin-out to Create Three Independent Companies

Western Copper

is pleased to announce that further to the Company's News Release dated August 19, 2011, it has mailed a detailed Information Circular describing the business to be conducted at a special meeting of shareholders to be held October 3, 2011 with respect to the spin-out of certain assets of the Company into two new companies: Copper North Mining Corp. and NorthIsle Copper and Gold by plan of arrangement. Both companies to be spun-out were incorporated for the purposes of the amended and restated Arrangement Agreement dated August 30, 2011. As previously announced, as part of the Arrangement, the Company will change its name from "Western Copper Corporation" to "Western Copper and Gold Corporation". Upon successful completion of the Arrangement, Copper North will hold all of the Company's interest in the Carmacks Copper Project located in the Yukon Territory, Canada, as well as the Redstone Project located in the Northwest Territories, Canada. NorthIsle will hold the Company's Island Copper Project located on Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The Company will continue to hold and focus on advancing its flagship Casino Project, located in the Yukon Territory, Canada. Dr. Sally Eyre is to assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer for Copper North. Dr. Eyre has 19 years' experience in the global resource sector. Prior to joining Copper North, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Etruscan Resources Inc. (now Endeavour Mining Corp.), a gold company with assets in West Africa. Dr. Eyre has a Ph.D in Economic Geology from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London and is a member of the Society of Economic Geologists. Dr. Eyre will be responsible for overseeing operations and new acquisitions for Copper North. John McClintock is to assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer for NorthIsle. Mr. McClintock has over 35 years' experience in exploration and acquisitions of gold and base mineral deposits. He has held positions of increasing responsibility in major mining companies including Rio Algom, Billiton and BHP Billiton including Exploration Manager global exploration with BHP Billiton. Mr. McClintock played key roles in the discovery and acquisition of several deposits including BHP Billiton's Spence Mine in Chile. Mr. McClintock will be responsible for overseeing operations and new acquisitions for NorthIsle. The management and board of Western Copper will remain the same. Full biographies for the proposed management and board for both Copper North and NorthIsle, along with detailed information respecting the matters contemplated by the Arrangement are set out in the Circular, which was mailed on Friday, September 2, 2011. At the meeting the Company will seek 66 2/3% shareholder approval of the Arrangement, which will result in shareholders of Western Copper as of the effective date of the Arrangement being entitled to receive, for each common share of Western Copper held at such date: one post-arrangement common share of Western Copper and Gold Corporation, one-half of a common share of Copper North and one-half of a common share of NorthIsle.