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**Exhibit 99.9**

 

**CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEYACT OF 2002**

 

I,Robert R. McEwen, certify that:

 

1.

I have reviewed this annual report on Form 40-Fof Minera Andes Inc.;

 

2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does notcontain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a materialfact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances underwhich such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the periodcovered by this report;

 

3.

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements,and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in allmaterial respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flowsof the issuer as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The issuer’s other certifying officer and I areresponsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) andinternal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and15d-15(f)) for the issuer and have:

 

a.                            designedsuch disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls andprocedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that materialinformation relating to the issuer, including its consolidated subsidiaries, ismade known to us by others within those entities, particularly during theperiod in which this report is being prepared;

 

b.                           designedsuch internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal controlover financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to providereasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and thepreparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generallyaccepted accounting principles;

 

c.                            evaluatedthe effectiveness of the issuer’s disclosure controls and procedures andpresented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of thedisclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by thisreport based on such evaluation and;

 

d.                           disclosedin this report any change in the issuer’s internal control over financialreporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report that hasmaterially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the issuer’sinternal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.

The issuer’s other certifying officer and I havedisclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control overfinancial reporting, to the issuer’s auditors and the audit committee of theissuer’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

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a.                            allsignificant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation ofinternal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely toadversely affect the issuer’s ability to record, process, summarize and reportfinancial information; and

 

b.                           anyfraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees whohave a significant role in the issuer’s internal control over financialreporting.

 

Date:   March 30, 2010

 
| By:                                                        |   |
|------------------------------------------------------------|--------|
|                                                       |   |
| /s/  Robert R. McEwen                                      |   |
| Robert  R. McEwen                                          |   |
| President,  Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman |   |

 

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