Vancouver, Canada and Lima, Peru – (May 22, 2009) - Rio Cristal Zinc Corporation (TSXV:RCZ) ("RCZ" or the "Company") announces that the exercise price of the 1,560,000 stock options announced in press releases dated April 30, 2009 has been revised from C$0.06 to C$0.10.  All other terms remain unchanged pursuant to the Company’s Stock Option Plan.  
 
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 Rio Cristal Zinc 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.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in the United States.  The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.