ASSORE LIMITED - PRESS RELEASE

RUSTENBURG MINE SETS BENCHMARK FOR FUTURE REHABILITATION

RUSTENBURG MINERALS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, AND ITS TECHNICAL ADVISER, AFRICAN
MINING & TRUST (AMT), BOTH WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARIES OF THE ASSORE MINING
GROUP, HAVE COMPLETED A NOVEL R13 MILLION ENVIRONMENTAL REHABILITATION PROJECT
WHICH WILL SERVE AS THE BENCHMARK FOR THE GROUP'S FUTURE OPERATING PROCEDURES.
THE CHALLENGE SET BY THE ASSORE BOARD TO GROUP SENIOR MANAGEMENT 6 YEARS AGO
WAS TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT THE MOST PRACTICAL AND COST-EFFICIENT APPROACH TO
THE PROBLEM OF REHABILITATING PREVIOUSLY MINED AREAS IN A WAY THAT CONFORMS
WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS.

INPUT AND CO-OPERATION WAS SOUGHT FROM A WIDE RANGE OF PLAYERS INCLUDING
POTCHEFSTROOM UNIVERSITY'S EKO REHAB TEAM LED BY PROFESSOR JOHAN BOOYSEN AND DR
FAAN VAN WYK, THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS & ENERGY, CONTRACTORS MCC AND NOT
LEAST, THE LOCAL TRIBAL COMMUNITY.

THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN SPECTACULAR, CULMINATING IN A RECENT AMT ARBOR DAY
CELEBRATION AND RECOGNITION OF THE ENDEAVOUR BY THE NOMINATION OF RUSTENBURG
MINERALS AS A FINALIST IN THE PRESTIGIOUS EXCELLENCE IN MINING ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT (EMEM) AWARDS IN THE NORTH WEST REGION.

"THE CHALLENGE, WHICH IS INCREASINGLY POSED TO ALL MINING OPERATIONS, IS TO
PROGRESS FROM THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH OF EXTRACTING THE MINERALS BY THE MOST
CONVENIENT - AND OFTEN ENVIRONMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE - METHOD, MOVING ON TO FRESH
FIELDS AND LEAVING DEGRADATION BEHIND" SAYS AMT PROJECT LEADER ANDRIES MOUTON.
"FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT RESTORATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
AFTER AND EVEN DURING OPERATIONS BECOMES A PRIME CONCERN. IN FACT, WITH THE
HELP OF OUR TEAM OF ASSOCIATES, AMT POLICY NOW IS TO VIEW EVERY NEW PROJECT AT
THE BEGINNING FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, ALWAYS
WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF PRACTICALITY AND VIABILITY"

AT RUSTENBURG, THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE ADOPTION OF A NUMBER OF NOVEL

APPROACHES. INSTEAD OF ATTEMPTING TO LEVEL ALL SURFACES AND COMPOUND THE SLIMES
DAM, QUARRIES WERE BACK-FILLED TO CREATE SHALLOW VALLEYS AND THE DUMPS AND
SLIMES DAM WERE SHAPED AT 14 DEGREES, LIMITING THE THREAT OF WATER RUN-OFF AND
SUBSEQUENT EROSION.

ALL VEGETATION USED WAS DRAWN FROM LOCAL SPECIES AND THE END OBJECTIVE WAS TO
ESTABLISH AN ECOLOGICALLY STABLE ENVIRONMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THE LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATED THROUGHOUT WITH THE SCHOOL CHILDREN PLANTING
320 INDIGENOUS TREES AS PART OF A PROGRAMME TO MAKE "TIKOLOGO" (THE
ENVIRONMENT) A LIVING FEATURE IN COMMUNITY LIFE.

"THE PROGRAMME HAS SEEN SOME 99% OF THE AREA REHABILITATED AND FORMERLY BARREN
AREAS WILL IN FUTURE BECOME AVAILABLE FOR CATTLE GRAZING" SAYS MOUTON. " THE
MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS IN ALL FUTURE GROUP VENTURES WILL BE TO ACHIEVE THE
DEGREE OF REHABILITATION THAT WOULD ALLOW GAME CONSERVATION TO BE PRACTISED IN
THE AREA."

"APART FROM BEING A VERY PRACTICAL GAUGE OF SUCCESS, WE SEE POTENTIAL GAME
CONSERVATION AND ITS ACCOMPANYING SCOPE FOR ECO-TOURISM AS AMONG THE MOST
BENEFICIAL SOURCES OF ENHANCING LIVING STANDARDS AVAILABLE TO RURAL

COMMUNITIES" COMMENTS ASSORE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN DESMOND SACCO.
ENDS
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
ANDRIES MOUTON: (011)4847212
SETON THOMPSON 0828979365