Performance at Month End

Merrill Lynch World Mining Tst PLC
10 August 2005

 MERRILL LYNCH WORLD MINING TRUST plc

 All information is at 31 July 2005 and unaudited.

 Performance at month end with net income reinvested

                                 One      Three        One      Three       Five
                               month     months       year      years      years
Net asset value                10.4%      24.4%      46.5%     147.0%     216.5%
Share price                    13.3%      25.7%      42.0%     158.5%     247.9%
HSBC Global Mining Index        9.0%      22.8%      38.4%     108.4%     129.7%

Sources: Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, HSBC Global Mining Index, Datastream

Net asset value and share price performance includes the warrant reinvestment,
assuming the bonus warrant entitlement per share was sold and reinvested on the
first day of trading.


At month end

Net asset value

Undiluted:                          295.83p         Includes net revenue of:    2.06p
Share price:                        265.50p         Discount to NAV:            10.3%
Total assets:                       £528.2m         Net yield:                   0.7%
Gearing:                               6.8%

Ordinary shares in issue:       168,298,906






Sector                                 % Total Assets          Country                               % Total Assets
Analysis                                                       Analysis

Diversified                                      50.7          Latin America                                   22.9
Base Metals                                      23.4          Global                                          21.9
Gold                                              9.2          Canada                                          15.9
Industrial Minerals                               6.7          Australia                                       10.2
Silver/Diamonds                                   4.7          South Africa                                     8.8
Platinum                                          4.1          Europe                                           6.4
Other                                             2.6          USA                                              4.2
Net current liabilities                         (1.4)          China                                            4.0
                                                               Other Africa                                     2.9
                                                               India                                            2.1
                                                               Indonesia                                        0.9
                                                               Laos                                             0.8
                                                               Mongolia                                         0.4
                                                               Net current liabilities                        (1.4)
                                                100.0                                                         100.0


Ten Largest Equity Investments

Company                                    Region of Risk

Alumina                                      Australasia
BHP Billiton                                 Global
CVRD                                         Latin America
Falconbridge                                 Canada
Iluka Resources                              Australasia
Impala Platinum                              South Africa
Minas Buenaventura                           Latin America
Rio Tinto                                    Global
Teck Cominco                                 Canada
Xstrata                                      Global



Commenting on the markets, Graham Birch, representing the Investment Manager
noted:

Mining and metals markets continued their strong recovery.  The HSBC Global
Mining Index closed the month up 9.0% (in Sterling Terms).  Copper reached
record levels once again, hitting $1.72/lb at the end of the month as
inventories of the metal continued to fall.  Positive data out of China in the
first half of the month, including a higher than expected Q2 GDP growth figure
of 9.5%, boosted mining shares as it dispelled market fears over a deceleration
in growth of the Chinese economy.  This was further reinforced by the
revaluation of the Renminbi which was seen by the market as a signal that the
Chinese government is confident in China's economic growth outlook, whilst also
showing that they are taking action to ensure its sustainability.

Mining shares exposed to bulk commodities, such as iron ore and coal, performed
particularly well this month on the back of the positive news out of China.  As
a result the Company's largest holdings, BHP Billiton, CVRD, Rio Tinto and Teck
Cominco were up 11.3%, 11.2%, 9.0% and 13.2% respectively (in USD terms).  Our
copper holdings also benefited from the high copper price, the best performing
of which was First Quantum which was up 22.5% over the month.  Gold shares
underperformed the Index in July, and the Company benefited from its underweight
stance.

Global economic growth should be sufficiently robust to ensure that supply/
demand balances in the metals and minerals markets remain favourable; with
positive implications for prices. We are now in the midst of the 'reporting
season' and many companies are showcasing record earnings results.  The strong
balance sheets and high cash flows of many of the Company's holdings should
continue to be translated into higher dividends and increased share buy-backs.
There is also the possibility of additional 'corporate activity' providing
further support for the market.  China should continue to be a key factor in the
commodity markets and while it seems likely that demand growth will moderate in
this country, the earlier fears of an economic slump seem misplaced.


Latest information is available by typing www.mlim.co.uk/its on the internet,
'MLIMINDEX' on Reuters, 'MLIM' on Bloomberg or '8800' on Topic 3 (ICV terminal).

10 August 2005


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange