Performance at Month End

Mercury World Mining Trust PLC
9 February 2000


MERCURY WORLD MINING TRUST PLC
All information is at 31st January 2000 and unaudited.

Performance at month end with net income reinvested
                          One     Three     One     Three     Five
                        Month    Months    Year     Years     Years
Net asset value         -5.2%      13.1%   82.1%     10.2%     30.9%
Share price             -6.7%      11.6%   64.9%     15.8%     14.7%
HSBC Global Mining
 Index (Capital Only)   -10.8       6.3%   45.8%     -9.8%      0.1%

At month end
Net asset value 111.98p
Share price:     94.00p  Discount to NAV:                      16.1%
                         Net yield:                             1.3%
Total assets:  £236.1m
Gearing:         13.5%  
Ordinary shares in issue:      185,949,852
(5,000,000 shares were repurchased and cancelled during the month).

Sector                 % Total   Country               % Total
Analysis                Assets   Analysis               Assets
Base Metals               34.9   South Africa             34.0
Platinum                  18.2   Latin America            17.7
Diversified               17.7   Europe                   13.5
Gold                      17.1   USA                      12.9
Silver/Diamonds            8.0   Australia                10.2
Industrial Minerals        3.9   Canada                   10.0
Gold Bullion               0.7   Africa                    1.5
Net current liabilities   (0.5)  Gold Bullion              0.7
                                 Net current liabilities  (0.5)
                         -----                           -----
                         100.0                           100.0
                         =====                           =====

Ten Largest Equity Investments
Company          % Investments     Country of Risk    
Impala Platinum            7.1     South Africa
Minas Buenaventura         5.6     Peru
Cominco                    5.4     Canada
De Beers Centenary         4.4     South Africa
Alcoa                      4.1     USA
Phelps Dodge               3.8     America
Billiton                   3.7     UK
Pechiney                   3.7     France
Anglo American Corp        3.5     UK    
Vale Rio Doce              3.5     Brazil
                          ----
Total                     44.8
                          ====

Sources: Mercury Asset Management Ltd, HSBC Global Mining Index

Latest information is available by typing 'MAMINDEX' on Reuters, 'MAMI' on
Bloomberg or '8800' on Topic 3 (ICV terminal).

8th February 2000