Kabwe Update

BERKELEY MINERAL RESOURCES PLC

("BMR" or "The Company")

Kabwe Update

Berkeley Mineral Resources Plc, the AIM listed resource company engaged in the processing of tailings dumps in Zambia, announces it has now launched a programme which is expected to lead to production of zinc and lead and other metals by processing the Washplant tailings stockpiles it owns at the former Kabwe mine site in central Zambia.

On 22 June 2011, BMR announced it had acquired all the tailings at the former Kabwe mine and on 2 May 2012 it confirmed that it had secured the Large Scale Licence 6990-HQ-LML, after the lifting of a State Moratorium on the re-issuing of licences in Zambia. Since then, the Company has been working closely with its processing partners, firstly Yunnan Xiangyun Feilong Nonferrous Metal Company ("Feilong") and subsequently Ascot Group Ltd ("Ascot"), to define the optimum processing route.

The processing programme is being initiated immediately by BMR's 100%-owned Zambian subsidiary Enviro Processing Ltd ("EPL") and will produce concentrate from the Washplant tailings, the highest grade stockpile resources at the former mine site with a combined lead/zinc grade of 17.87%.

As previously announced, The Mineral Corporation produced a mineral resources estimate report for the Washplant tailings to JORC standards and the table below shows those results.

JORC Mineral Resources of Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) for the Kabwe Washplant Tailings

The report was prepared by Mr. D R Young (BSc. Hons., Geology), who is a Competent Person as defined by the JORC Code (2004), being registered as a Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), with more than five years experience relevant to resource estimation.

The processing programme has been designed and launched with the assistance of Ascot which was appointed as processing contractor to BMR in December 2012. Ascot has received all the historical and metallurgical data relevant to Kabwe and an Ascot team carried out an extensive site and material survey at the Kabwe site in January and February 2013.

Ascot has provided the Company with a processing report for the Washplant tailings which commences with multi-gravity separation. As a result of the report produced by Ascot, the Directors believe that BMR can produce a concentrate containing not less than 40% zinc and lead combined, within the current calendar year. Such a concentrate would be suitable for immediate sale or for further processing

It is assessed that secondary processing, may beneficially increase the concentrate percentage and can also separate and recover other metals such as silver, cadmium and vanadium, known to be contained in the Washplant tailings. BMR intends to maximise value in the final product and Ascot's production team will be returning to Zambia in April to progress and develop the secondary processing procedures.

EPL has submitted its Mining and Processing Development Plan and its application for a Processing Licence to the relevant Zambian authorities. It is additionally currently preparing to submit its Environmental Management Plan so that all the necessary licences and permits will be issued and in place prior to the commencement of first production.

As soon as processing and sale of the Washplant tailings material is under way, Ascot will also be designing a processing plant for the Leachplant tailings and bringing forward proposals to mine and process the partly mined or un-mined ores in the former Kabwe mine itself.

Masoud Alikhani, Chairman, commented:

"Having secured these highly valuable above-ground resources at Kabwe and put in place the relevant licences and permits, BMR is delighted to be working with Ascot and to be able to initiate processing. The Company is looking forward to producing concentrates, monetising their worth and at the same time improving the environment by rehabilitating the Kabwe stockpiles site".

This release has been reviewed by Dennis Human, B.Sc. (Hons), Bus. Admin (Hons), MGSSA, Consulting Geologist to the Company, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the guidance note for Mining, Oil & Gas Companies issued by the London Stock Exchange in respect of AIM Companies.

12 March 2013

For further information please contact:

Berkeley Mineral Resources Plc

Masoud Alikhani, Chairman

020 7408 1181

Cantor Fitzgerald Europe

Stewart Dickson / Julian Erleigh (Corporate Finance)

Jeremy Stephenson / Richard Redmayne (Corporate Broking)

Tel: 020 7107 8000

Lothbury Financial Services

Michael Padley /Gary Middleton

020 3440 7620