Portfolio Update

BLACKROCK WORLD MINING TRUST plc All information is at 31 January 2014 and unaudited. Performance at month end with net income reinvested One Three One Three Five Month Months Year Years Years Net asset value (undiluted) -2.3% -7.9% -26.6% -41.5% 68.8% Net asset value (diluted) -2.3% -7.9% -26.6% -41.5% 68.8% Share price 0.9% -0.7% -19.6% -32.8% 98.6% Euromoney Global Mining Index -1.7% -8.2% -26.3% -42.6% 40.5% (Total return) Sources: BlackRock, Euromoney Global Mining Index, Datastream At month end Net asset value Including Income Capital Only Undiluted/diluted: 488.17p* 471.50p *Includes net revenue of 16.67p Share price: 469.00p Discount to NAV**: 3.9% Total assets: £967.9m Net yield***: 4.5% Gearing: 11.8% Ordinary shares in issue: 177,287,242 Ordinary shares held in Treasury: 15,724,600 ** Discount to NAV including income. *** Based on 2012 final dividend of 14.00p and interim dividend of 7.00p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2013. Sector % Total Country Analysis % Total Assets Assets Diversified 42.6 Global 47.0 Base Metals 21.8 Other Africa 27.3 Industrial Minerals 16.3 Latin America 11.9 Gold 7.8 South Africa 4.0 Silver & Diamonds 6.7 Australasia 3.5 Other 2.1 Canada 3.2 Platinum 1.8 Emerging Europe 1.3 Energy Minerals 0.9 USA 1.0 China 0.8 ----- ----- 100.0 100.0 ===== ===== Ten Largest Investments % Total Assets Company Rio Tinto 10.9 GlencoreXstrata 10.4 BHP Billiton 10.4 First Quantum Minerals 8.2 London Mining Marampa Contract 6.9 Freeport-McMoRan 5.7 Vale 3.5 Fresnillo 2.3 Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde 2.3 Iluka Resources 2.1 Commenting on the markets, Evy Hambro, representing the Investment Manager noted: Performance January witnessed mixed economic signals. In the first half of the month, the World Bank announced an upgraded global growth forecast. They predict the world economy will expand by 3.2% this year (up 0.2% from the previous projection they announced last June). This was a positive for mining equities as it suggested commodity demand looks set to strengthen. However, weaker than expected China PMI data and softer non-farm payroll numbers from the US weighed on the market during the month. This, coupled with the beginning, and increasing, of tapering by the Fed led to lacklustre investor sentiment and ultimately the most prominent story in January: the emerging market currency sell-offs. The Argentine Peso, the Turkish Lira and the South African Rand saw currency depreciation against the US$ of -18.7%, -5.1% and -5.6% respectively (Source: Thomson Reuters Datastream). Another headwind, albeit seasonal, for commodity prices was the softening of Chinese demand owing to the onset of the Chinese New Year holiday slowdown. Copper and iron ore prices fell by 3.8% and 8.6% respectively (Source: Bloomberg). The sector entered the period of production announcements prior to the February financial announcements. The general theme has been mining companies delivering on production forecasts and, in a number of instances, companies surprised the market with higher than anticipated production. Production figures from the majors were particularly robust. Strikes commenced in South Africa in January as members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) walked out from platinum mining operations. Reports suggest that the union has demanded that monthly wages be more than doubled (Source: Reuters). During the month, Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold announced their fourth quarter production results. The results were unable to provide any clarity on the potential for a change in Indonesian export tariffs for metals and minerals. The company is currently a significant exporter of copper and gold from Indonesia and does not pay any export tariffs following an agreement made with the government in the 1990s. The introduction of a reported 25% export tariff would have a significant impact on earnings; the company is in ongoing discussions with the government to resolve this issue. Gold equities were buoyed by a gold price rise of 2.9% over the month. Demand for the yellow metal rose as investors sought to protect themselves against emerging market currency risk. Gold Exchange Traded Fund flows appeared to stabilise with outflows of ~27 tonnes over the month compared to ~81 tonnes in December 2013 (Source: Scotiabank). Large-cap gold producers performed strongly, with those with operations in South Africa benefiting from a weakened Rand. Strategy / Outlook The mining sector has significantly lagged general equity markets in recent years. However, a number of the downside risks for this sector have reduced (albeit not disappeared). The industry has made good progress in refocusing its strategy: operating costs have been aggressively targeted and investment in projects reassessed. Many commodities are trading close to or below their marginal cost of production, implying that price downside should be limited, in the absence of a collapse in demand. The global economic backdrop is showing signs of synchronous growth and this has typically been supportive of commodity prices. The companies are trading on an undemanding valuation, as well as being at a dividend yield premium to the broader equity market, and with capital expenditure rolling off, management are guiding investors towards rising free cashflows. All data in USD terms unless otherwise stated. 14 February 2014 ENDS Latest information is available by typing www.brwmplc.co.uk on the internet, "BLRKINDEX" on Reuters, "BLRK" on Bloomberg or "8800" on Topic 3 (ICV terminal). Neither the contents of the Manager's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Manager's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
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