Purchase of Own Securities

Merrill Lynch World Mining Tst PLC
16 October 2002


                             PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES

1) Date of the purchase:

15 October 2002

2) Number of Ordinary Shares purchased:

95,461

3) Highest and lowest price paid per share (excluding expenses):

103.50p

4) The issued share capital of the Company following this buy-back will be:

Ordinary shares - 162,800,000

5) Name of contact for queries:

Miss D A Fish
020 7743 5153

6) Name of authorised Company official responsible for this notification:

Miss D A Fish
for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers Group Services Limited
Secretary

7) Date of notification:

15 October 2002


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