Underground Sampling in Progress at El Abra Gold Prospect

Underground Sampling in Progress at El Abra Gold Prospect

ECR Minerals plc

ECR MINERALS plc

(“ECR Minerals”, “ECR” or the “Company”)

AIM: ECR

US OTC: MTGDY

UNDERGROUND SAMPLING IN PROGRESS AT

EL ABRA GOLD PROSPECT

London: 18 September 2012 - ECR Minerals plc is pleased to advise that further to its announcement of 7 August 2012, the planned programme of geochemical sampling within historical underground workings at the Company’s El Abra gold prospect in La Rioja Province, Argentina has commenced and will continue for approximately the remainder of the month. Assay results will be released following completion of the programme.

The programme takes advantage of the numerous historical shafts, adits and cross-cuts present at El Abra, which can be sampled at relatively low cost. This sampling will improve ECR’s understanding of the El Abra vein system and assist the Company in determining appropriate next steps for the prospect.

Further work will be subject to the results of the current programme and may include bulk sampling to provide material for test processing. A bulk sampling programme could have the potential to generate modest revenue, depending on its parameters.

About ECR Minerals plc

ECR is a mineral development company with 100% ownership of the Sierra de las Minas gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina. The project area hosts numerous small, high grade gold targets that may be suitable for early advancement to production, including the El Abra prospect.

The Company holds a 21% fully diluted stake in THEMAC Resources Group Ltd (“THEMAC”), which is focused on the redevelopment of the Copper Flat copper-molybdenum-gold-silver porphyry deposit in New Mexico, USA. THEMAC is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange with the symbol MAC.

In addition to its stake in THEMAC, the Company has shareholdings in West Wits Mining Ltd (ASX: WWI) and Paniai Gold Ltd (unquoted), both of which have interests in the Derewo River alluvial gold mining and exploration project in Papua, Indonesia.

For further information please contact:

ECR Minerals plc			Tel: [phone]
Patrick Harford, Managing Director
Stephen Clayson, Director & Chief Financial Officer
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.ecrminerals.com
Daniel Stewart & Company plc			Tel: [phone]
Paul Shackleton/David Hart