OSBURN, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 18, 2005--Atlas Mining Company (OTCBB:ALMI) announced that on August 11 and 12, Dr. Aaron Wagner and Sarah Cooper from NaturalNano Inc. visited the Dragon Mine to review the progress made at the site. Also present was Dr. Ron Price, inventor of halloysite micro and nanotubular technologies and an Atlas board member. The group was informed of the underground development and geology of the property. They also collected numerous samples of surface and underground materials to analyze. As stated by Dr. Wagner, "The more we know about the total deposit and the different variations that occur in the deposit, the better we will be able to develop a plant facility to separate and classify the nanotubes using our proprietary processes."

Sarah Cooper acknowledged, "I enjoy working with the Atlas group. The Atlas personnel are very helpful and are instrumental in helping us achieve our goals for providing large volumes of this unique, naturally occurring nanotube material for use in the wide range of applications we have identified at NaturalNano."

Sarah Cooper is the Chief Technology Officer and Dr. Aaron Wagner is the Director of Research and Development for NaturalNano Inc. In December 2004, NaturalNano Inc. and Atlas Mining Company entered into an agreement wherein NaturalNano will supply Atlas with technical, financial and operational support to develop and place a particle separation and sizing process for halloysite microtubules at the Dragon Mine.

About Atlas Mining Company: Atlas Mining Company is a diversified natural resource company with its primary focus on the development of the Dragon Mine in Juab County, Utah, leased from Chester Mining and the only known commercial source of halloysite clay outside of New Zealand. The unique purity and quality of the Dragon mine halloysite is unmatched anywhere in the world and has spawned considerable research into new and exciting applications for this product. Atlas also holds mining and timber interests in Northern Idaho, and operates an underground mining contracting business. Atlas stock trades on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol "ALMI". More information about Atlas Mining Company can be found at www.atlasmining.com

More information about NaturalNano can be found at www.naturalnano.com

Safe Harbor Statement: Except for the historical statements made herein, the statements made in this release are forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, general business conditions, managing growth, and political and other business risks. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this Cautionary Statement and the risks and other factors detailed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atlas Mining undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Atlas Mining Company
William T. Jacobson, 800-356-6463