Taseko Announces Fourth Quarter Production Update

	    VANCOUVER, Jan. 8 /CNW/ - Taseko Mines Limited (TSX: TKO; NYSE Amex: TGB)
("Taseko" or the "Company") reports unaudited fourth quarter and year end
production results for its Gibraltar Mine.
	    For the fourth quarter of 2009, the Gibraltar Mine produced 17.3 million
pounds of copper and 113 thousand pounds of molybdenum. For 2009, annual
production was 70.3 million pounds of copper and 629 thousand pounds of
molybdenum.
	    The fourth quarter production breakdown is as follows:

	    <<
	    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
	                                            October    November    December
	    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
	    Mill Throughput (millions, tons)           1.1         1.1         1.0
	    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
	    Recoveries (%)                            79.9        82.8        89.8
	    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
	    Production (millions, lbs)                 4.8         5.7         6.8
	    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
	    >>

	    The mine returned to steady state operating condition by November,
following the geotechnical event in July.
	    Russell Hallbauer, President and CEO of Taseko, commented, "With the
Gibraltar operation back on track after the geotechnical problem in the
Granite Pit was resolved, site personnel have focussed on metal recoveries
associated with optimizing the performance of the recently installed tower
mill, as opposed to pushing mill throughput. As a consequence, recoveries
increased from 80% to 90% during the quarter and are now approaching design
targets. In the coming months, material handling bottlenecks will be addressed
and with the completion of the few remaining capital projects, daily
throughput tonnage will increase to 55,000 tons per day."
	    Mr. Hallbauer continued, "We continue to make steady progress with
construction activities at the mine. The tailings pumping system and in pit
crushing and conveying system are near completion. Detailed design of the new
coarse ore reclaim facility is in its final stages and construction is
expected to begin in March. With these initiatives underway, we are on
schedule to increase annual copper capacity to 115 million pounds by the end
of 2010."

	    <<
	    Russell Hallbauer
	    President and CEO
	    >>

	    No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of the information
contained in this news release.

	    Forward Looking Statements

	    This release includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than
statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve
potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or
developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although
the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking
statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not
guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking
statements include capital market conditions, commodities market prices,
exploitation and exploration successes, lack of continuity of mineralization,
continued availability of capital and financing, the ability to obtain and
maintain required permits, including environmental, construction and mining
permits and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are
cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance
and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the
Company, Investors should review the Company's annual Form 40-F filing with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the Company's home
jurisdiction filings at www.sedar.com.






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	    /For further information: on Taseko, please see the Company's website
www.tasekomines.com or contact: Brian Bergot, Investor Relations, (778)
373-4545, toll free 1-800-667-2114/