Rio Cristal Zinc Hires Barry Kaplan Associates For Investor Relations Services

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - (October 16, 2008) - Rio Cristal Zinc Corporation ("RCZ") (the “Company”) (TSXV: RCZ) announces that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") whereby Barry Kaplan Associates (“Kaplan”) will provide investor relations services to the Company.  The Agreement is effective October 3, 2008, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, for a period of four (4) months, renewable for additional four (4) month periods.

Services to be Provided

Pursuant to the Agreement, Kaplan will provide investor relations services to RCZ, including but not limited to contacting brokers, analysts, the financial press, preparing investor materials and assisting in the dissemination of such materials.

Compensation

The Agreement provides that the Company will pay Kaplan a fee of US$5,000 for the preparation of a Background Highlights report and a monthly fee of US$6,500, and will issue 150,000 options exercisable for five (5) years at $0.50 per share to Kaplan as additional compensation. 

In addition, Kaplan will receive a 1% introduction fee for funds successfully raised by them.  The total cost of the Agreement to RCZ during a four (4) month period will be US$31,000, plus approved expenses, options and any introduction fees.

About Rio Cristal Zinc Corporation

Rio Cristal Zinc is a Canadian corporation focused on the discovery and further development of zinc deposits in Peru. The principal asset of RCZ is the Charlotte Bongará claim block located in northern Peru within an emerging Mississippi Valley-type zinc district. Additional information can be found on the Company’s website, www.riocristalzinc.com.

For further information please contact Ross Knutson at:
Telephone: (778) 588-6880
Toll Free: (866) 609-9644
Fax: (604) 609-9946

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential exploration results, future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future results, events and objectives could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Rio Cristal’s expectations include exploration and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. 

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.