Ritchie Bros. to sell unused and late model construction and mining equipment
in Prince George unreserved auction

    
    Rock drills, large industrial power plants, articulated dump trucks and
    late model construction equipment to be sold with no minimum bids
    

PRINCE GEORGE, BC, Oct. 1 /CNW/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE andTSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, will be conducting a large, multi-million dollar unreserved public equipment auction at its permanent auction site in Prince George , B.C. on Thursday, October 8, 2009 starting at 8:00 a.m. Close to 1000 mining, construction, logging, agricultural, and transportation equipment items from almost 100 owners will be sold to the highest bidders on auction day, with no minimum bids or reserve prices.

More than 120 of the equipment items featured in the auction are being sold for Galore Creek Mining Corp., a copper-gold mine development located in the northwest part of BC. Specialized mining equipment being sold includes an unused 2007 Tamrock Axera T08-290 4X4 rock drill, two 2007 Tamrock Ranger 700RP crawler rock drills and one 2007 Tamrock Ranger 800RP crawler rock drill. In addition, the Company will also be selling unused 2007 Cummins industrial sized power generators and a selection of late model Volvo articulated dump trucks.

"What is unique about the Galore Creek Mining equipment package is the number of unused and late model items. The equipment had been purchased for a project at the mine but the company decided to sell its assets when the project was put on hold. The generators being sold in the auction were actually going to be used to power the entire mining camp," said Brian Glenn , Divisional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "We were very fortunate to get this mining equipment and expect the auction will draw bidders from all over the world."

Other late model construction and transportation equipment to be sold in the auction includes: hydraulic excavators, crawler tractors, truck tractors, and fuel & lube, service, and boom trucks. The auction will also feature agricultural tractors and a selection of logging equipment including log loaders, skidders, feller bunchers, delimbers, log trailers and logging trucks.

    
    Auction details:
    ----------------

    -   Location: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers permanent auction site, 1434 Old
        Cariboo Highway, Prince George, BC
    -   Auction site tel: [phone] Auction site fax: [phone]
    -   Time and date: Thursday, October 8, 2009 starting at 8:00 a.m.
    -   Open to the public; registration to bid is free
    -   Visit the auction site to register to bid in person; photo I.D. is
        required. First-time bidders from the U.S. and Canada must place a
        refundable CDN$1,000 deposit when they register. Customers can
        inspect equipment during regular business hours leading up to the
        auction
    -   Internet bidders must register online before auction day at
        www.rbauction.com; at least 2-3 business days is recommended for
        first-time internet bidders.
    -   Phone the auction site to place a proxy bid. Phone [phone]
    -   Equipment details, including photos, are available at
        www.rbauction.com

    About Ritchie Bros.
    

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE andTSX: RBA) is the world's largest industrial auctioneer, selling more equipment to on-site and online bidders than any other company in the world. The Company has over 110 locations in more than 25 countries, including 39 auction sites worldwide. Ritchie Bros. sells, through unreserved public auctions, a broad range of used and unused industrial assets, including equipment, trucks and other assets utilized in the construction, transportation, agricultural, material handling, mining, forestry, petroleum and marine industries. The Company maintains a web site at www.rbauction.com and sponsors an equipment wiki at www.RitchieWiki.com.

For further information: Kim Schulz, Manager, Corporate Communications, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Cell: [phone] or email [email protected]; Or Jamie Fraser, Area Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Prince George auction site phone: [phone]