SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE NAME CHANGE TO WESTERN SILVER CORPORATION

To better reflect the Companys assets, particularly its Peñasquito silver deposit, the shareholders of Western Copper Holdings Limited voted to change the companys name to WESTERN SILVER CORPORATION.

Change Is Effective at the Start of Trading March 25
Management Will Ring Opening Bell at the American Stock Exchange

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 24, 2003 -- To better reflect the Companys assets, particularly its Peñasquito silver deposit, the shareholders of Western Copper Holdings Limited voted to change the companys name to WESTERN SILVER CORPORATION. The name change was approved at the companys March 20 general meeting in Vancouver and becomes effective at the start of trading on March 25.

The Companys shares trade on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol WTZ, and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WTC. These symbols are not affected by companys name change.

Also on Tuesday, March 25, company management led by Chairman Dale Corman will ring the opening bell commencing the trading day at the American Stock Exchange. The Companys shares began trading on the American Stock Exchange February 5 of this year.

Western is a silver and base metal exploration company with advanced projects in Mexico and Canada. Westerns Peñasquito project in Zacatecas, Mexico was the subject of a recent resource calculation which indicated a resource of 158.8 million ounces of silver, 1.36 million ounces of gold, 988.8 million pounds of lead and 2.3 billion pounds of zinc and inferred a resource of 54.6 million ounces of silver, 584 thousand ounces of gold, 310 million pounds of lead and 891 million pounds of zinc.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dale Corman"
Dale Corman
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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 Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.