SKIPPACK, PA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/09/12 -- North Bay Resources Inc. (OTCBB: NBRI) ("North Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to issue the following shareholder update on the status of current operations at the Ruby Gold Project.

The Ruby Tunnel rehab project continues to move forward. As a result of the mild winter thus far, work has proceeded unabated into 2012, and we continue to make steady progress.

At the present time, our crew is now retimbering the area around the Wolf Vein workings, a key location 3,000 feet within the Ruby tunnel. The Wolf Vein is a quartz vein deposit known to be hosted in the bedrock underlying the intersection of the Bald Mountain and Deep Rock Creek Channels, and it will be one of our primary developmental targets after mining operations begin. To date, the crew has replaced more than 30,000 board feet of mining timber, and installed nearly 3,000 feet of new ventilation duct. We have now rehabilitated and advanced approximately halfway through the Ruby Tunnel towards our primary mining target, which is the "Big Bend" section of the Black Channel, the location where C.L. Best extracted the world famous Ruby nuggets, and the section of the mine where Best was forced to stop mining in 1942 by order of the US Government during World War II.

As always, we will continue to keep shareholders informed of our operational progress as we proceed forward towards completion of the tunnel rehab project and the start of production.

About The Ruby Gold Project

The Ruby Mine, a/k/a the Ruby Gold Project, is a fully-permitted underground placer and lode mine located near Downieville in Sierra County, California that is known to have produced over 250,000 ounces of gold since the 1850s, and which is considered to be part of the northern extension of the historic Mother Lode system. The Ruby Property covers approximately 1,755 acres, consisting of the subsurface mineral rights of two patented claims totaling approximately 435 acres and 30 unpatented claims containing approximately 1,320 acres. The equipment, fixed assets, and infrastructure in place include a 1,000 yard per day placer wash plant, 50-ton per day quartz mill, 6,000 feet of tracked haulage, and related support equipment needed for underground mining operations. The property also features an excellent system of roads, is accessible via paved highway from Reno or Sacramento, has abundant water and timber available for mining purposes, and has PG&E power available on-site. For further information about the Ruby Mine, please visit the Ruby page on the North Bay website at http://www.northbayresources.com/ruby/.

About North Bay Resources Inc.

North Bay Resources Inc. (OTCBB: NBRI) is a fully-reporting junior mining company with over 150 mineral and placer claims encompassing approximately 60,000 acres throughout British Columbia, Canada.

In the US, the Company has acquired the Ruby Gold Mine in Sierra County, California, and is presently looking to acquire additional operating mines in the western US.

The Company's mission is to build a portfolio of viable mining prospects throughout the world and developing them through subsidiaries and JV partners to their full economic potential. North Bay's business plan is based on the Generative Business Model, which is designed to leverage its properties into near-term revenue streams even during the earliest stages of exploration and development. This provides shareholders with multiple opportunities to profit from discoveries while preserving capital and minimizing the risk involved in exploration and development.

SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Although North Bay Resources Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any assumption could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion should not be regarded as a representation by North Bay Resources Inc. or any other person that the objective and plans of North Bay Resources Inc. will be achieved.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors - The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms on our website (or press releases), such as "measured," "indicated," and "inferred" "resources," which the SEC guidelines strictly prohibit U.S. registered companies from including in their filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form S-1 and subsequent Form 10-K which may be secured from us, or from our website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml