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FORM 6-K


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Washington, D.C.  20549



Report of Foreign Private Issuer


Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of


The Securities Exchange Act of 1934





For the month of                                     December                                            , 20     03



_______________________________Cumberland Resources Ltd.________________________

(Translation of registrant's name into English)


950 - 505 Burrard Street, Box 72, One Bentall Centre, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V7X 1M4

(Address of principal executive officers)



[Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.



Form 20-F         X                     Form 40-F               



[Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



Yes                           No         X     


[If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):  82-___________


SIGNATURES




Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

Cumberland Resources Ltd.

(Registrant)


Date     December, 10  2003                By /s/ "Kerry M. Curtis"                          

       Kerry M. Curtis, President & CEO



 


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Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange:CBD


News Release 03-26

December 10, 2003


 

#950 - 505 Burrard Street

Box 72, One Bentall Centre

Vancouver, BC  V7X 1M4

Phone:     604 608-2557

Fax:          604 608-2559

Website:  www.cumberlandresources.com

Email:      info@cumberlandresources.com

 

 

 


Cumberland Advances Feasibility and Reports Final 2003 Drill Results

at Meadowbank Gold Project


CUMBERLAND RESOURCES LTD. (CBD-TSX) is pleased to announce that final feasibility studies on the Meadowbank project are advancing towards completion in the first quarter of 2004 and are expected to benefit from a successful 2003 drill program and improved gold prices.  As a result of improved gold resources (see news release NR03-11), base case studies for projected mill throughput at Meadowbank have increased to 5,500 tonnes per day (tpd) from the 4,700 tpd estimate used in the preliminary assessment* completed in January 2002.  The Company’s 100% owned Meadowbank gold project, is located 70 kilometres north of the Hamlet of Baker Lake, Nunavut.  

  

The Company is also pleased to announce the final drill results from Phase 2 infill drilling initiatives, which continued to focus on definition of near surface resources within preliminary open pit designs.  Results from closely spaced infill drilling in the near surface portion of the Third Portage deposit are highlighted below and a full table is attached.


3.31 g/t gold over 18.66 m at 13 m below surface in hole TP03-467

6.97 g/t over 10.72 m at 5 m below surface in hole TP03-468

15.24 g/t over 6.32 m at 5 m below surface and

5.03 g/t over 4.15 m at 15 m below surface in hole TP03-471

10.02 g/t over 3.86 m at 4 m below surface and

4.71 g/t over 15.86 m at 20 m below surface and

3.80 g/t over 10.27 m at 34 m below surface in hole TP03-472

7.66 g/t over 17.72 m at 10 m below surface in hole TP03-473

9.29 g/t over 18.82 m at 60 m below surface in hole TP03-475

5.70 g/t over 11.67 m at 5 m below surface in hole TP03-478

3.82 g/t over 21.40 m at 20 m below surface in hole TP03-479

4.34 g/t over 15.91 m at 49 m below surface in hole TP03-488

5.14 g/t over 14.47 m at 14 m below surface in hole TP03-489

7.00 g/t over 4.05 m at 13 m below surface and

8.78 g/t over 4.95 m at 75 m below surface and

16.56 g/t over 3.77 m at 82 m below surface in hole TP03-490

8.47 g/t over 7.62 m at 4 m below surface in hole TP03-491

13.75 g/t over 2.00 m at 30 m below surface in hole NP03-481


Drill results are in line with expectations in this sector of the deposit, and are expected to improve resource classification in the starter open pit design for the Portage pit. Revisions to project resources, incorporating 2003 drilling results, are currently being finalized for feasibility level open pit designs and reserve classification.




News Release 03-26

Page Two

 



Meadowbank is host to the third largest undeveloped gold resource in Canada with six closely spaced, near surface, gold deposits totaling:


Meadowbank Resources** – Q2/2003

 

 

Category

Tonnes

Grade (g/t)

Ounces Gold

Measured and Indicated

15,471,000

4.66

2,318,000

Inferred

 8,921,000

4.20

1,205,000


 

Cumberland is a mineral exploration and development company which holds interests in two of the largest undeveloped gold properties in Canada:  Meadowbank (100%) and Meliadine West (22% carried to production).  Cumberland is well financed and is advancing the Meadowbank property to production.  The Company is currently evaluating a 10 year open pit mine plan based on a  preliminary assessment* completed in January 2002, which indicated the Meadowbank property could support a production rate of approximately 250,000 ounces per year at an estimated cash cost of US$168 per ounce.



CUMBERLAND RESOURCES LTD.


”Kerry M. Curtis, B.Sc., Geo.”
President and CEO


For further information contact:  Kerry Curtis, President and CEO or Joyce Musial, Manager, Investor Relations


Roger B. March, P.Geo., is the Senior Project Geologist and designated Q.P. for the Meadowbank Project.  Mr. March has supervised drill hole planning, implementation and quality control/quality assurance programs at the Meadowbank Project since 1996.  Drill core analysis is performed on split core with standard fire assay procedures and AA finish.  QA/QC programs employ random insertion of four internal standards, field duplicates and blank samples. Gravimetric analysis is performed on any sample yielding greater than 1 g/t gold in fire assay. Primary assaying is performed by IPL Laboratories, of Vancouver.  ACME Analytical Laboratories of Vancouver provides external reference assaying.

 

*Cautionary Note:  The preliminary assessment completed in January 2002 is preliminary in nature, included inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves and there is no certainty that the preliminary assessment will be realized. The production forecast used in the Preliminary Assessment included approximately 5.9 million tonnes of Inferred Mineral Resource, or 41% of the total forecast.  In compliance with National Instrument 43-101, the Company issued a Technical Report which is available at www.sedar.com for review.

 

**Second quarter 2003 resource estimates are in accordance with National Instrument 43-101.  Resource classification conforms to CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves (August 2000).

 

***True thickness of intersections ranges from 80-100% of intersected widths.

 

Certain statements in this News Release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation’s Reform Act of 1995.  Such forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance of achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.


 



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