Grant of Share Options

Grant of Share Options

Dublin, 20 December 2012, Minco plc (MIO:AIM) the Irish exploration and development company reports the issuance of 8.25 million share options at an exercise price of £0.05 per share, with a five year term expiring December 20, 2017, vesting as to one third immediately, one third on July 2, 2013 and one third on April 2, 2014, to non-executive directors and other consultants, including the following:

Rowan Maule, Director 2,500,000

Pat Downey, Director 1,250,000

Peter McParland, Director 1,250,000

Michael Power, Director 1,250,000

Peter Tyler, geologist 1,250,000

Ben Batson, geologist 750,000

The Company currently has 349,999,988 shares and 3,250,000 options outstanding hereby increasing to 12,500,000 or 3.57% of the issued share capital.

About Minco

Minco Plc, registered in the Republic of Ireland and listed on the AIM Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange ("MIO"), is an exploration and development company, currently engaged in zinc-lead exploration in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada and with investments in zinc‐silver projects in Mexico through holding 30 million shares (~29%) in Xtierra Inc. listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV-"XAG"). Minco holds 15.4 million shares (~10%) in Buchans Minerals Corporation also listed on the TSXV ("BMC"). Minco also holds a 2% NSR royalty on the Curraghinalt gold property in Northern Ireland which is being explored by Dalradian Resources Inc. (TSX-"DNA").

For further information, www.minco.ie or contact:

John Kearney: Executive Chairman +1 416 362 6686

Terence McKillen: Chief Executive +1 416 362 8243

Danesh Varma: CFO & Company Secretary +44 (0) 8452 606 034

Peter McParland: Director - Ireland +353 (0)46 907-3709

John Frain/Fergal Meegan: (NOMAD) Davy +353 (0)1 6796363

Chris Rourke/ Guy Wheatley: (Corporate Advisor| Broker)

Beaufort International, London +44 (0)20 7382 8387