Portfolio Update

BLACKROCK WORLD MINING TRUST plc All information is at 31 October 2008 and unaudited. Performance at month end with net income reinvested One Three One Three Five Month Months Year Years Years Net asset value* (undiluted) -37.4% -57.4% -62.4% -2.1% 58.5% Net asset value* (diluted) -37.2% -56.7% -59.5% -3.0% 55.4% Share price* -39.3% -58.8% -62.9% -13.7% 39.6% HSBC Global Mining Index -27.3% -48.6% -52.0% 12.4% 71.3% Sources: BlackRock, HSBC Global Mining Index, Datastream *Net asset value and share price performance includes the warrant reinvestment, assuming the 2004 and 2006 bonus warrant entitlement per share was sold and the proceeds reinvested on the first day of trading. At month end Net asset value Including Income Capital Only Undiluted: 316.91p# 311.68p Diluted: 316.91p# 311.68p #Includes net revenue of 5.23p Share price: 253.00p Discount to NAV**: 18.83% Warrant price: 8.00p Total assets***: £591.64m Net yield: 1.19% Gearing^: 4.48% Ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares): 178,317,729 Warrants in issue: 8,947,605 Ordinary shares held in treasury: 14,692,800 ** Discount to NAV based on capital only, fully diluted NAV. *** Total assets include current year income. ^ Gearing is calculated based on total assets including current year income. Sector Analysis % Total Country Analysis % Total Assets Assets Diversified 58.1 Latin America 31.8 Base Metals 15.9 Global 25.8 Industrial Minerals 9.1 South Africa 10.8 Platinum 7.2 USA 9.3 Gold 6.8 Australasia 8.5 Silver/Diamonds 6.4 Canada 7.0 Other 3.6 Other Africa 3.6 Net current liabilities (7.1) Indonesia 2.7 India 2.7 Europe 2.4 Emerging Asia 1.8 Other 0.7 Net current liabilities (7.1) ----- ----- 100.0 100.0 ===== ===== Ten Largest Equity Investments Company Alcoa BHP Billiton Impala Platinum Industrias Penoles Minas Buenaventura OZ Minerals Peabody Energy Rio Tinto Teck Cominco Vale Commenting on the markets, Graham Birch, representing the Investment Manager noted: Market review The equity market turmoil of the previous months intensified during October and asset prices were hit by further deleveraging and fears that the financial crisis will severely impact the real economy. Volatility also hit an all time high at the end of the month. The mining market continued to be weighed down by negative market sentiment and concerns over the potential for growth in China, the engine of commodity consumption, to be severely derailed as a result of what has been happening in the OECD countries. The release of relatively robust Chinese GDP data during the month, 9.9% GDP growth for the year to end September and 9.0% in the third quarter, did little to offset the malaise. In a strong statement to the market, the Chinese government has already started to stimulate the economy, having enacted three interest rate cuts, removed some demand restraining taxes and announced huge investment plans (including an additional US$ 300 billion on the railway network, an increase of 50%). The change of leadership in the US is likely to be accompanied by an announcement of large spending plans (possibly one of the largest ever). The current market conditions are also forcing a strong reaction on the supply of mined commodities. Producers are scaling back production and future projects are being shelved. According to some recent broker analysis, around 66% of the mining capital expenditure planned for 2009 is at risk of being delayed if the credit crisis persists. There were several notable announcements in this regard in recent periods; Vale outlined production cuts of between 10% and 20% across its products (including circa 30 million tonnes of iron ore); Alcoa shut their Rockdale smelter and adjusted their alumina capacity whereas other producers such as Freeport McMoran, Rio Tinto and Ferroexpo have all announced that capital spending on growth projects is "under review". These production cuts and the reduction of future supply growth may help support commodity prices in the shorter term and may well be sowing the seeds for the next bull market in commodities. In the shorter term, the cost inflation issues that companies were facing earlier in the year have also abated and may alleviate some pressure on margins. The cost of diesel and steel has fallen sharply. Employees are now more worried about retaining their jobs rather than striking for higher wages. Also for those companies with assets located in countries such as Brazil, Australia and South Africa, the collapse in the local exchange rate will insulate profit margins from some of the falls in US$ commodity prices. Even the dreaded "resource nationalism" is now becoming less of a concern. Strategy/Outlook The interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan and Bank of England, although positive for the medium term, haven't come soon enough to head off a recession in the Western World over the short term. Against this, the drivers of the commodity super cycle remain intact but with all the distractions of the credit crisis to deal with investors are not interested. This has left the equities trading like short term derivatives on commodity prices when in reality they should reflect the fact that commodities are depleting, have to be replaced, and are needed for real industrial consumption uses and are not luxury good items. This will not escape the attention of the mining company management and when credit markets thaw there will surely be a feeding frenzy of M&A. While the past few months have been bruising for most investors, we feel that there is reason for optimism right now and clearly we are not alone. Mining shares have seen a slight rally from their recent lows in late October and early November. Some investors, including us, are bottom fishing and just maybe these real assets might regain some of their recent glory. Mining shares are "long-dated" assets which have been behaving more like "short-dated" assets in recent months; this situation will not last forever and investors should take advantage of it while they can. Latest information is available by typing www.blackrock.co.uk/its on the internet, "BLRKINDEX" on Reuters, "BLRK" on Bloomberg or "8800" on Topic 3 (ICV terminal). 25 November 2008
UK 100

Latest directors dealings