News Release: April 14th, 2005 Update: Exploration Joint Venture, Mexico Almaden Minerals Ltd. (Almaden) is pleased to announce that it has signed two amendments in order to extend its agreement with BHP Billiton World Exploration Inc. (BHP Billiton) to carry out grass roots exploration in a portion of Mexico for copper-gold deposits. The terms of the agreement outline two separate phases dependant upon success in the first phase. The first phase of work is focused on grassroots exploration with Almaden as operator and consists of a minimum of US$50,000 to be spent in the first year of the joint venture. If both Almaden and BHP Billiton agree to acquire any properties discovered, BHP Billiton will have the option to carry out US$750,000 of work on each such property in order to earn a 51% interest in that property. After BHP Billiton has completed this expenditure each property would enter a joint-venture phase of exploration during which both Almaden and BHP Billiton would contribute US$750,000 for a total of US$1,500,000. If one party fails to contribute to this phase, it would be diluted to a 2% net smelter return royalty. After this joint-venture stage is complete and if both parties have maintained their interests by funding, BHP Billiton can then elect to earn an additional 19% interest, for a total of 70% in each project, by completing a feasibility study not to exceed US$25 Million for each project. A final 10% interest can be earned if BHP Billiton funds the property into production. Since signing the original agreement in May, 2003, Almaden and BHP Billiton, under the operator ship of Almaden, have spent US$400,000 on a regional exploration program that covered a large area of Mexico considered prospective for copper-gold deposits. This program resulted in the identification of a smaller area where copper-gold mineralization has been identified that is considered highly prospective for porphyry copper-gold systems. This new smaller area is now the area of influence for the ongoing joint venture and is the focus of the new exploration program. This program will consist of geochemical stream sediment sampling and prospecting and will begin immediately. As part of the new agreement BHP Billiton has relinquished any and all rights to six projects identified and staked by Almaden during the original exploration program. These properties include the Santa Isabela and Candy Ag-Pb-Zn prospects, Coahuila State, the Saby and Fierro Au prospects in San Luis Potosi State and the Zapotec and Tuligtic Au-Ag and Au-Ag-Cu prospects in Puebla State. All projects are now held 100% by Almaden. Results and future plans for these projects will be reported by Almaden in the near future. The agreement with BHP Billiton has helped Almaden to aggressively pursue an already successful generative grassroots exploration program for copper-gold deposits in an area with little modern exploration. Almaden has been active in Mexico since the favourable changes in foreign investment legislation in 1991. Since that time Almaden has had one of its projects reach production and has formed numerous joint ventures to explore properties acquired. At present Almaden has five active joint ventures in Mexico. [BHP Billiton is the world's largest diversified natural resources company. Created in June 2001 through the Dual Listed Companies merger of Australian listedBHP Limited and UK listed Billiton Plc, BHP Billiton occupies industry leader, or near leader positions in major commodity businesses including aluminium, energy coal, metallurgical coal, copper, ferro-alloys, iron ore and titanium minerals. BHP Billiton also has substantial interests in oil, gas, liquefied natural gas, nickel, diamonds and silver. BHP Billiton employs around 35,000 people in more than 20 countries and is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.   ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Duane Poliquin The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed nor accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release which has been prepared by management. Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward looking statements as that term is defined in the private securities litigation reform act of 1995. Such forward -looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from estimated results. Such risks and uncertainties are detailed in the Company's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.