Grant of Options

Grant of Options

ECR Minerals plc

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

AIM: ECR
US OTC: MTGDY

GRANT OF OPTIONS

London: 6 January 2010 - ECR Minerals plc announces that under the unapproved share option plan adopted by the board of directors of the Company on 19 November 2004 (the “Option Plan”) it has issued a total of 25 million options (“Options”) to directors, staff and consultants.

Each Option is exercisable to acquire one ordinary share of the Company at a price of 2.5p per share. The Options will remain valid, subject to the rules of the Option Plan, until the tenth anniversary of the date of grant. The Options will vest immediately.

The exercise price of the Options equates to a premium of approximately 30% to the closing mid-market price of the Company’s shares on AIM on 5 January 2011.

Options have been issued to directors of the Company as follows:

Michael Silver, Chairman - 6,000,000 Options
Patrick Harford, Managing Director - 5,800,000 OptionsPatrick Harford, Managing Director - 5,800,000 Options
Mick Elias, Non-Executive Director - 2,500,000 Options Mick Elias, Non-Executive Director - 2,500,000 Options

All unexpired Options previously issued under the Company’s Option Plan as announced on 19 November 2004, 15 April 2005, 22 July 2005, 11 July 2007, and 3 January 2008 and as disclosed in the Company’s annual financial statements have been cancelled.

About ECR Minerals

ECR is a mineral development company with interests in the USA, Argentina, Indonesia, Thailand and Australia.

For further information please contact:

ECR Minerals plc
Michael Silver, Chairman				Tel: [phone]
Patrick Harford, Managing Director
Stephen Clayson, Chief Financial Officer
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.ecrminerals.com
Daniel Stewart & Company plc
Oliver Rigby/Tessa Smith				Tel: [phone]
Old Park Lane Capital plc
Forbes Cutler				Tel: [phone]
Barry Kaplan Associates
Larry Kaplan				Tel: [phone]