Portfolio Update

BLACKROCK WORLD MINING TRUST plc All information is at 31 December 2012 and unaudited. Performance at month end with net income reinvested One Three One Three Five Month Months Year Years Years Net asset value (undiluted) 3.6% 3.9% -4.8% 8.2% -9.0% Net asset value (diluted) 3.6% 3.9% -4.8% 8.2% -2.7% Share price 3.4% 1.3% -4.1% 11.9% -3.5% HSBC Global Mining Index* 3.6% 2.7% -2.4% -3.4% 2.5% *Total return Sources: BlackRock, HSBC Global Mining Index, Datastream At month end Net asset value Including Income Capital Only Undiluted/diluted: 686.87p* 672.18p *Includes net revenue of 14.69p Share price: 586.50p Discount to NAV**: 14.6% Total assets: £1,318.60m Net yield***: 3.6% Gearing: 8.3% Ordinary shares in issue: 177,287,242 Ordinary shares held in Treasury: 15,724,600 ** Discount to NAV including Income. *** Based on final dividend of 14.00p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2011 and interim dividend of 7.00p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2012. Sector % Total Country Analysis % Total Assets Assets Diversified 38.2 Global 43.1 Base Metals 20.6 Latin America 20.4 Industrial Minerals 10.3 Other Africa 10.8 Silver & Diamonds 9.0 Australasia 6.4 Gold 8.7 South Africa 5.6 Platinum 2.9 Emerging Europe 1.5 Energy Minerals 0.3 Democratic Republic of Congo 1.0 Net current assets 10.0 Canada 0.6 ----- USA 0.5 100.0 Mongolia 0.1 ===== Net current assets 10.0 ----- 100.0 ===== Ten Largest Investments % Total Assets Company Rio Tinto 10.1 BHP Billiton 9.4 Glencore Finance (Europe) 5% 31/12/14 5.7 London Mining Contract 5.1 First Quantum Minerals 4.3 Fresnillo 4.1 Industrias Penoles 3.9 Freeport McMoRan 3.8 Teck Resources 3.6 Vale 3.5 Commenting on the markets, Evy Hambro, representing the Investment Manager noted: Performance The weak sentiment that had been holding the mining sector back over the year showed some tentative signs of alleviating in December. Encouraging economic and commodity trade data, particularly from China, prompted renewed investor appetite. Mining commodity returns were mixed, however. Among the base metals, copper declined -0.9% and nickel -3.4%, but tin appreciated +6.9%. Iron ore was the stand out performer. Spot Chinese iron ore prices (63.5% Fe) surged 29% from the end of November to 4 January, reaching $154/tonne, according to data from CLSA. Iron ore had suffered a dramatic fall in September on the back of weak steel prices in China and destocking at steel mills; some supply rationing and a turnaround in the stocking cycle catalysed the rebound. Investors have been calling for more rigorous capital discipline from the mining industry and the sector began to respond in 2012. Vale, the Brazilian mining giant, released its 2013 capital expenditure plans in December and addressed this theme. The plans envisaged a fall in expenditure from $17.5bn in 2012 to $16.3bn but also contained some telling rhetoric - the company stated that its focus had shifted away from the 'marginal volume to the capital efficient volume'. A keen focus on profitability and efficiency, rather than simply expanding production, will be critical in determining mining company valuations in our view. We remain underweight Vale: although the company's focus has shifted to efficiency, it still has high capital intensity production. The copper industry has seen a flurry of M&A activity. In the large part, it has served to highlight the value the industry is placing on high quality copper assets, as with First Quantum's approach of Inmet. Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold disappointed the market in December, however, by announcing its intention to acquire Plains Exploration and Production and McMoRan Exploration, thus diversifying its asset base into oil and gas. Post completion of the deal one third of the enterprise value of the combined entity would be from energy assets. Strategy/Outlook Monetary stimulus in its various forms is typically good for commodities, at least in the short term. In addition, recent economic data has provided some encouraging indicators on growth conditions in China, the US and elsewhere. For certain commodities, the supply side continues to be challenged by both short term factors, such as weather events, and longer term ones, such as labour shortages and grade declines. These structural issues are supportive of prices where demand remains robust. Mining company valuations continue to trade below historical averages and there is in our view the potential for strong returns over the medium term. We remain focused on companies with balance sheet strength and high asset quality as we believe these factors will be key differentiators. In addition, the market is becoming increasingly discerning about capital allocation by mining managements. Companies must show themselves to be highly disciplined in their approach to costs and management of their assets. 10 January 2013 ENDS Latest information is available by typing www.brwmplc.co.uk on the internet, "BLRKINDEX" on Reuters, "BLRK" on Bloomberg or "8800" on Topic 3 (ICV terminal). Neither the contents of the Manager's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Manager's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
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