Exhibit 99.1

    COLUMBUS, Mont., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- STILLWATER MINING
COMPANY (NYSE: SWC)  As announced earlier today, a proposed labor agreement
between Stillwater Mining Company and the Paper, Allied Industrial, Chemical
and Energy Workers International Local 8-0001 has been rejected by a vote of
the union membership.  An extension of the previous contract, which covers
workers at the Company's Stillwater Mine and Columbus, Montana processing
facilities, expired at noon today, July 12.  The union bargaining unit
accordingly has now declared a strike.

    Workers at the company's East Boulder Mine facilities are covered by a
different labor agreement and are not involved in the work stoppage.

    Union members with questions regarding compensation or benefits during the
strike are invited to contact the company's Human Resources Department at
(406) 322-8930 for assistance.  In addition, the company is maintaining an
information hotline for employees at (406) 328-8599.  Union members should
seek guidance from the union regarding other strike-related questions.


    Stillwater Mining Company is the only U.S. producer of palladium and
platinum and is the largest primary producer of platinum group metals outside
of South Africa.  The Company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol SWC.  Information on Stillwater Mining can be found at its Web
site:  www.stillwatermining.com.


    Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and, therefore, involve uncertainties or risks that could cause actual results
to differ materially.  These statements may contain words such as "believes,"
"anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "estimates" or similar
expressions.  These statements are not guarantees of the Company's future
performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other important
factors that could cause our actual performance or achievements to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements.  Such statements include, but are not limited to, comments
regarding expansion plans, costs, grade, production and recovery rates,
permitting, financing needs, the terms of future credit facilities and capital
expenditures, increases in processing capacity, cost reduction measures,
safety, timing for engineering studies, and environmental permitting and
compliance, litigation and the palladium and platinum market.  Additional
information regarding factors which could cause results to differ materially
from management's expectations is found in the section entitled "Risk Factors"
above in the Company's 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K.  The Company intends
that the forward-looking statements contained herein be subject to the
above-mentioned statutory safe harbors.  Investors are cautioned not to rely
on forward-looking statements.  The Company disclaims any obligation to update
forward-looking statements.



SOURCE  Stillwater Mining Company
    -0-                             07/12/2004
    /CONTACT:  John W. Pearson of Stillwater Mining Company, +1-406-322-8742/
    /Web site:  http://www.stillwatermining.com /
    (SWC)

CO:  Stillwater Mining Company; Paper, Allied Industrial, Chemical and Energy
     Workers International
ST:  Montana
IN:  MNG
SU:  LBR CON