North Dakota: land acquisition and drilling update

For immediate release: 0700 24 December 2010

Sirius Minerals Plc

("Sirius" or the "Company")

North Dakota: land acquisition and drilling update

The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTC: SRUXY), the potash mining group, are pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Dakota Salts LLC ("Dakota Salts"), has acquired a further 1445 net mineral acres of lease areas adjacent to its existing properties in North Dakota. The Company now controls some 10,090 net mineral acres of lease areas overlying the Williston Basin, having an overall land position of approximately 21,492 gross mineral acres within North Dakota.

The new acreage has been acquired from multiple unconnected owners for nominal initial cash payments per mineral acre with royalty payments due on mining production in line with industry norms.

Chris Catlow, Chairman of Sirius, commented:

"The land acquisition programme in North Dakota continues to progress well. I am likewise pleased to report that the coring phase at our first drill location in Burke County has now completed. The samples are currently being prepared by Sirius's drilling partner, Schlumberger, in-situ for transportation to the North Rim core facility in Saskatoon where they will be logged in detail, photographed and selectively prepared for geochemical analysis. Final analysis will then be completedby the Saskatchewan Research Council. We anticipate this being completed by mid February at which point we will determine the next drilling location."

In Australia, Sirius Minerals continues to progress its projects in Queensland and Western Australia.

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Website: www.siriusminerals.com