Purchase of Own Securities

MERCURY WORLD MINING TRUST PLC
26 August 1999


PURCHASE OF OWN ORDINARY SHARES IN THE MARKET

1. Date of the purchase: 25th August 1999

2. Number of Ordinary Shares purchased:     1,000,000
          
3. Highest and lowest price paid per share: 83.5p
  (excluding expenses)                      

4. The issued share capital of the Company following this buy-back will be 

   Ordinary shares     193,424,852
   
                                         
5 Name of contact for queries: Miss A J Marsh 
                                0171 220 5430

6. Name of authorised Company official responsible for this      
   notification: Miss A J Marsh
                 for Mercury Asset Management 
                 Group Services Ltd
                 Secretary

6. Date of Notification: 25th August 1999