BOARD CHANGES

BOARD CHANGES

ECR Minerals plc

ECR MINERALS plc

(“ECR Minerals”, “ECR” or the “Company”)

AIM: ECR

US OTC: MTGDY

BOARD CHANGES

LONDON: 31 JANUARY 2013 - The board of directors of ECR Minerals plc (the “Board”) announces that Keith Irons, Non-Executive Chairman has resigned as a director of the Company effective immediately.

Paul Johnson, previously Non-Executive Director, has replaced Mr Irons as Non-Executive Chairman. In addition, and with immediate effect, Stephen Clayson, previously Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of ECR and Richard Watts, an experienced mining engineer, has been designated the Company’s Non-Executive Technical Director.

Stephen Clayson, Chief Executive Officer of ECR, commented:

“The Board thanks Keith Irons for his efforts on behalf of ECR since May 2012, and we wish him well in his future endeavours. We believe the Board, with three directors, will have a very appropriate mix of skills and experience for ECR in its present stage of development.

The Company’s near term objectives include securing a joint venture partner or purchaser for its 100% owned Sierra de las Minas gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina. ECR is also seeking new natural resource sector opportunities, but the Board will only proceed with such an opportunity if it perceives there is exceptional scope to create value for ECR's shareholders.”

ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR is a mineral development company with, among other interests, 100% ownership of the Sierra de las Minas gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina; a 21% fully diluted stake in THEMAC Resources Group Ltd (TSX-V: MAC), which is focused on the development of the Copper Flat copper-molybdenum-gold-silver porphyry project in New Mexico, USA; and a stake in Paniai Gold Ltd (unquoted), which has exposure to the Derewo River alluvial gold mining and exploration project in Papua, Indonesia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

ECR Minerals plc			Tel: [phone]
Paul Johnson, Non-Executive Chairman
Stephen Clayson, Chief Executive Officer
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.ecrminerals.com
Daniel Stewart & Company plc			Tel: [phone]
David Hart/Antony Legge