Purchase of Own Shares

Mercury World Mining Trust PLC
8 December 2000

PURCHASE OF OWN ORDINARY SHARES IN THE MARKET

1. Date of the purchase:                   7 December 2000

2. Number of Ordinary Shares purchased:     250,000
          
3. Highest and lowest price paid per share: 87p
  (excluding expenses)                      

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

   Ordinary shares     170,718,803
                                            
5 Name of contact for queries: Miss A J Marsh
                               020 7743 5430

6. Name of authorised Company official responsible for this      
   notification: Miss A J Marsh
                 for Merrill Lynch Investment Manager Group Services
                 Limited
                 Secretary

6. Date of Notification: 7 December 2000