Marange Update

African Consolidated Resources Plc / Index: AIM / Epic: AFCR / Sector: Mining
18 February 2010
          African Consolidated Resources Plc ('ACR' or 'the Company')
                                 Marange Update

African  Consolidated Resources Plc, the AIM listed resource development company
focussed in Zimbabwe, is pleased to provide an update on ACR's right to mine the
eastern Marange diamond fields ('the Marange Claims Area').

As  previously announced, the  Company was successful  in a High Court Judgement
handed  down on  25 September 2009 ('the  25 September Judgement')  which upheld
ACR's  title to the Marange Claims Area.   This judgement is under appeal to the
Zimbabwe  Supreme Court ('the Substantive Appeal') which the Company understands
is not likely to be heard for some time.

One of the orders ('the Paragraph 7 Order') in the 25 September Judgement was to
the  effect that  the 25 September  Judgement should  have immediate effect even
pending  any appeal to the  Supreme Court.  There was  a separate application to
the Supreme Court by the Government companies affected, appealing for the review
of  the  provisions  of  the  High  Court  order including the Paragraph 7 Order
dealing  with immediate execution, and a Judgement was handed down in respect of
this by the Supreme Court on 16 February 2010 ('the 16 February Judgement').  In
the  16 February Judgement the  Paragraph 7 Order was  overturned.  In its place
the 16 February Judgement:

 1. Confirms  an interim  Order of  the Supreme  Court of 25 January 2010 to the
    effect   that  all  diamonds  acquired  from  the  Marange  Claims  Area  be
    surrendered  to the Reserve  Bank of Zimbabwe  ('RBZ') for safekeeping until
    finalisation of the Substantive Appeal.


 2. Criticises those who have removed diamonds produced at Marange and delivered
    to  RBZ pursuant  to the  25 January Order  as unlawful  and in  contempt of
    Court.


 3. On  the  balance  of  convenience  allows the Government parastatal Zimbabwe
    Mining  Development Corporation to  remain on site  pending determination of
    the Substantive Appeal, but orders that it cease all mining activities until
    such determination.


Recent press comment concerning what was described as a "decision" to cancel the
licence  of ACR  arises from  a separate  action by  the Government not formally
connected  with the  ongoing litigation.   Notices have  been issued pursuant to
Section  50 Mines and Minerals  Act (the Section  50 Notices) of an intention to
cancel  the Company's rights over  the Marange Claims Area  with effect from 10
March  2010 on the grounds that, when the  claims were pegged in 2006, they were
pegged  in an area that was  'reserved against prospecting' ('a Reserved Area').
 New  purported  evidence  ('the  Purported  Evidence')  has  been  produced  to
demonstrate  that the Marange Claims Area had  been a Reserved Area since 2004,
although the existence of such a Reserved Area was not alleged for approximately
three  years,  despite  intensely  contested  litigation  leading  up to the 25
September Judgement; was not mentioned in a legal opinion given to Government in
2006 by  the Attorney General; and  was clearly not known  or appreciated by any
Ministry  of Mines officials  at any relevant  time prior to December 2009.  The
Section  50 Notices  are  also  premised  on  the  fact  that the ACR claims are
currently  valid despite the fact that all  of the Government's pleadings in the
Substantive Appeal assert the contrary.

The Company is of the opinion from all the surrounding evidence that there is an
inescapable  inference that the Marange  Claims Area was not  in a Reserved Area
when  pegged  in  2006.  The  Company  has  also  been  advised that even if the
Purported  Evidence  can  be  shown  to  be genuine, the formalities required to
effect  a Reserved Area under the Mines  and Minerals Act have not been complied
with and accordingly the purported reservation is not valid.

The  Company will continue to take all steps it can to protect its rights and to
regain possession of the Marange Claims Area.

As  before, the  Company remains  firmly resolved  to work  with all elements of
Government to achieve an outcome that shows respect for the law, respect for the
courts  and  security  for  the  substantial  commitments  made by international
investors.   The  Company  continues  to  endeavour  to  engage  all  offices of
Government  to  reach  a  joint  venture  arrangement  that  will best serve the
interests of Zimbabwe and its diamond sector.

African  Consolidated Resources CEO  Andrew Cranswick said,  "We welcome the new
Supreme  Court injunction,  its actions  and criticism  of the  parties who have
unlawfully  removed diamonds produced on our  Marange licence area.    We remain
firmly  resolved  to  work  these  strategic  national  assets with the Zimbabwe
Government for the benefit of all Zimbabweans and will keep shareholders updated
on developments.

"We  also remain  focussed on  advancing our  broad portfolio of resource assets
across  the country, in particular increasing the Resource base at the Giant and
Pickstone  gold mines,  which already  have a  cumulative JORC  resource of over
800,000 oz  Au, advancing a further  four projects up to  a maiden JORC Resource
status  by the end of  the year, advancing our  Chishanya rock phosphate deposit
and   bringing  the  Peerless  Sulphide  dumps  towards  production  to  provide
additional revenue."


For  further information visit  www.acrplc.com <

http://www.acrplc.com> or please
contact:


 Andrew  Cranswick           African          Consolidated [phone]
                             Resources plc

 Roy  Tucker                 African          Consolidated [phone]
                             Resources plc                 [phone]

 Richard  Greenfield         Ambrian Partners Limited      [phone]


 Richard Brown               Ambrian Partners Limited      [phone]

 Hugo de Salis               St Brides Media & Finance Ltd [phone]

 Susie Callear               St Brides Media & Finance Ltd [phone]




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