Name: El Mochito mine.

Location: The El Mochito mine is located in north-west Honduras, near the town of Las Vegas, in the Department of Santa Barbara.

Controlling Company: Nyrstar.

Brief History: The El Mochito mine has a long history of reserve replace- ment and promising exploration potential. The mine was originally discovered in 1938. In 1943, Rosario Resources Corporation bought the property and production began in 1948. In August 2011, Nyrstar successfully completed its acquisition of Breakwater Resources, the owner of the El Mochito mine.

Brief Description: The El Mochito mine is an underground multimetal mine with 826 employees.

Mining Method: The mine uses a combination of mining methods depending on the size, geometry and geotechnical considerations of the various zones. Mechanised post-pillar cut-and-fill is the predominant mining method used in chimney-type settings throughout El Mochito, but is also used in Manto areas where possible. Post-pillar open stoping is used in shallow dipping Mantos where the height of the zone is no more than two cuts. Conventional narrow-vein cut-and-fill and shrinkage stoping is practised in the higher-grade areas throughout the upper mine.

Products: Zinc concentrate, lead concentrate and silver as a by-product.

Major Infrastructure and Equipment: El Mochito mine is accessed by an 870 m service shaft and a 780 m production shaft.

Geology/Mineralisation: Mineralisation at El Mochito occurs as high-temperature replacement lead/zinc deposits in carbonates. Acid hydrothermal solutions have deposited skarn minerals, such as garnet, pyroxene and epidote, together with sulphides of zinc, lead and iron. The replacement deposits can take two shapes – some follow the essentially flat bedding of their host rock (mantos), while others cut across the rocks (“chimneys” or “pipes”).

Reserves: Total proven and probable reserves, according to a report published on February 7, were 4.14-million tonnes, with a grade of 4.72% zinc, 2.33% lead and 64.62 g/t silver.

Resources: Total measured and indicated resources, according to a report published on February 7, were 5.79-million tonnes, with a grade of 4.84% zinc, 2.07% lead and 58.62 g/t silver.

Prospects: The El Mochito mine delivered a solid performance during 2012, with zinc in concentrate production of about 26 000 t in line with total production (irrespective of ownership) in 2011.

Contact Person: Manager Investor Relations, Jaideep Thatai.

Contact Details:
Nyrstar,
Tel +41 44 745 8100,
Fax +41 44 745 8110,
Email jaideep.thatai@nyrstar.com, and
Website http://www.nyrstar.com