Admission to AIM

Horizonte Minerals
08 May 2006

    Horizonte Minerals plc / HZM_LN/ Market: Joining AIM / Sector: Mining &
                                  Exploration



              Horizonte Minerals plc ('Horizonte' or 'the Group')



                          First Day of Dealings on AIM

      For Brazil and Peru Focused Gold Explorer Having Raised £2.3 Million



Overview

•         First day of dealings on AIM having raised £2.3 million through a
          Placing of 7,666,667 new Ordinary Shares at 30 pence per share

•         International mineral resources exploration group focused on the
          identification, appraisal and development of gold and base metal 
          projects in Brazil and Peru

•         Management with considerable experience of working in Brazil and Peru

•         Three 100% owned core projects, Tangara, Falcao and El Aguila,
          demonstrate potential to host gold and silver-zinc systems

•         Pipeline of early stage gold and base metal exploration projects
          identified in Brazil

•         Objective to become a recognised supplier of quality exploration
          projects and a preferred exploration partner for Majors in the region

•         Focus on low cost, high reward phase of early stage exploration


Horizonte CEO Jeremy Martin: 'Participants in the mining industry are facing a
shortage of early to late stage projects to develop their pipeline and replace
resources/reserves. Horizonte is focused on the low cost high reward phase of
the exploration/mining business. The best way to increase the probability of
success is to have suitably qualified and experienced geological management with
appropriate local knowledge. Horizonte brings just such a team together.'


'We already have three core projects which are located within strategic mining
provinces with a history of exploration success. There is a significant
opportunity, particularly in Brazil, where juniors can gain control of large
district scale targets in highly prospective areas. Previous low levels of
exploration investment in Brazil have created an imbalance in supply and demand
which we aim to take advantage of.  We also have a generative programme to
increase our asset base and provide a pipeline of quality exploration projects.
With an established portfolio, a busy development programme and a healthy
pipeline of projects, Horizonte is well placed to exploit this opportunity.'


For further information visit:       www.horizonteminerals.com

Contacts

Jeremy Martin/David Hall     Horizonte Minerals plc         Tel: [phone]

David Paxton                 Hichens Harrison               Tel: [phone]

Hugo de Salis                St Brides Media & Finance Ltd  Tel: [phone]

John Frain/Fergal Meegan     Davy                           Tel: [phone]



Introduction


Horizonte Minerals plc, an international mineral resources exploration group
focused on the identification, appraisal and development of gold and base metal
deposits in Brazil and Peru, began trading on AIM today.  The Group raised £2.3
million before expenses by way of a conditional placing of 7,666,667 new
Ordinary Shares at 30 pence per share.  The total number of shares in issue at
Admission will be 29,507,667, giving the Group a market capitalisation of
approximately £8.85 million.  The funds raised will be used to continue the
development of the Group's existing portfolio, to add to this portfolio and to
finance the Group's corporate and other overheads.  Davy is Nominated Adviser
and Hichens, Harrison & Co. Plc is Broker to the Company.


The Group is led by an experienced management team, with over 50 years of
combined experience in mineral exploration in South America, particularly in
Brazil, where it has assembled a portfolio of core and early stage wholly owned
gold and base metal exploration projects at various stages of development.


The Group's primary focus is on the identification of gold and base metal
deposits in Brazil and on the appraisal and resource definition of these
deposits by undertaking various exploration and development activities. Assuming
satisfactory results from such activities, the Group will seek to enter into
partnership/joint venture arrangements with mineral exploration and production
partners, who will incur the investment required to further develop these
projects while allowing Horizonte retain a long term economic and/or financial
interest in each such project.


Horizonte currently has two core gold exploration projects in Brazil and one
core silver-zinc-lead project in Peru. The two core Brazilian gold projects,
Tangara and Falcao, are located to the south of the highly prospective Carajas
Mineral Province. Each project covers an area of approximately 300 sq km and is
centred over a greenstone belt, with identified gold mineralisation from
exploration activities undertaken by previous owners and from garimpero mining.
The Directors believe that the large land package, the aerial extent of the
mineralised system and the high density and magnitude of related gold anomalies
(identified in river sediments, surface soils and rocks), indicate the potential
for multiple discoveries. The Group's core silver-zinc-lead project is located
in the historic mining district of Cerro de Pasco in Central Peru. The Directors
believe that early trial mining and limited drilling on this project, undertaken
by its previous owners, demonstrates the potential for high-grade discoveries on
this project.


In addition, the Group has a portfolio of early stage exploration projects,
which are located in strategic mining districts in Brazil. The Group intends to
acquire exploration rights over additional prospective terrain to supplement and
enhance its existing exploration project portfolio. This process is important
for the continuing development of the Group and its asset base.


Horizonte is executing the Placing and Admission so as to develop further its
existing core exploration projects in Brazil and Peru and to determine the
characteristics and magnitude of their potential mineral resources, to continue
the development of the Group's existing portfolio of early stage exploration
projects in Brazil and Peru and to add to this portfolio and to finance the
Group's corporate and other overheads.


Directors and Senior Management


Directors


David J. Hall (aged 47), BA (Hons), MSc, Non-Executive Chairman - 24 years
experience in the exploration sector and has worked on and assessed exploration
projects and mines in over 40 countries. Positions David has held include
consultant geologist for Minorco South America, exploration manager for
AngloGold South America and operations director of Minmet plc.  He is also
founder and Chairman of Stratex International Plc, an AIM traded company with
exploration assets in Turkey in which Teck Cominco Limited is an equity
shareholder.


Jeremy J. Martin (aged 29), MSc, ASCM, Director and Chief Executive Officer -
worked in South America for Inca Pacific Resources Inc. and in Central America
and Europe for Minmet plc, where he was responsible for grassroots regional
metalliferous exploration programmes through to resources definition and mine
development.  He has been involved in the formation of two AIM traded companies
and has completed a number of high value mineral project transactions.


Nicholas R. Winer (aged 46), BSc, Director and Chief Operation Officer - over 20
years of experience in gold, base metals and diamond exploration in South
America, Africa and Australia. He was exploration manager for AngloGold do
Brasil Ltda, prior to which he spent 18 years with the exploration division of
BHP Limited, now BHP Billiton Limited.


Allan M. Walker (aged 46), MA, Non-Executive Director - 22 years experience in
investment banking, primarily in energy, project finance and private equity,
particularly in emerging markets. Previous positions include head of energy
finance in London for Standard Bank Plc; director in global energy and project
finance group of Credit Suisse First Boston in London; and head of the energy
group at CSFB Garantia in Sao Paulo, Brazil.



Senior Management


Ian C. Anthony (aged 41) BSc (Hons), ACA, Chief Financial Officer - a qualified
chartered accountant, Ian's career in investment banking spans from Paribas
Capital Markets to Bankers Trust and most recently Deutsche Bank where he was a
director of balance sheet management in the treasury department. He now runs his
own consultancy, IA Consultants Limited and is director of two private
investment companies.


Titus Haggan (aged 31) PhD, Exploration Manager (Brazil) - considerable
experience in the exploration sector in Central and South America having worked
on and assessed exploration projects in the Caribbean, Brazil, Peru, Argentina
and Chile.


Antonio Valerio da Silva (aged 63), BSc, Director of HM Brazil - Antonio is a
Brazilian geologist with over 35 years of minerals industry experience. He
worked for five years in the Brazilian Mines Department, followed by 11 years
working for consulting companies on projects in the Amazon. He has acted as a
consultant to local mining companies and was founder of  Mineracao Vale dos Reis
Ltda.


Further Information


Further information on the Company and the securities subject to Admission are
contained in an admission document dated 2 May 2006 (the 'Admission Document').
Terms defined in the Admission Document have the same meaning in this
announcement. Copies of this document will be available free of charge to the
public during normal business hours on any day (Saturdays, Sundays and public
holidays excepted) at the offices of Matheson Ormsby Prentice Solicitors,
Pinnacle House, 23-26 St Dunstan's Hill, London EC3R 8HN, United Kingdom from
the date of this document until at least one month after Admission.


                                  * * ENDS * *


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