Amara Mining plc: Directorate Changes

LONDON, 03/06/13 - Amara Mining plc (AIM: AMA)(TSX: AMZ) ("Amara" or "the Company"), the dual AIM and TSX listed West African focused gold mining company, is pleased to announce the appointment of The Right Honourable Peter Hain MP as an independent Non-Executive Director.

Mr Hain brings over 22 years of international experience to Amara, including a great depth of expertise and understanding of Africa and African politics through his role as Minister of State at the Foreign Office from 1999 to 2002. During his time at the Foreign Office, when he was responsible for African affairs, Mr Hain worked closely with the Sierra Leone government and was involved in a number of key initiatives and negotiations to bring stability to the country and facilitate a strong working relationship with the UK.

Mr Hain began his political career in 1991 when he was elected as the Labour MP for the Neath constituency in South Wales, a traditional mining area. He was a member of the Labour government between 1997-2008 and 2009-2010, serving in the Department of Trade and Industry, as Minister for Energy (including Mining) and the Wales Office, as well as the Foreign Office. He held the posts of Secretary of State for Wales, Leader of the Commons, Northern Ireland Secretary and Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, before leaving the Labour frontbench in 2012 to focus on the campaign to deliver the Cardiff-Weston Severn barrage.

Born in Africa, Mr Hain spent his childhood in South Africa, where his parents were heavily involved in the anti-apartheid movement, until his family was forced to relocate to the UK when he was 16 years old. Mr Hain then became a leader of the British Anti-Apartheid movement until the situation was resolved in 1994.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Political Science from Queen Mary College, University of London and a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Sussex. He does not hold any other directorships.

John McGloin, Executive Chairman of Amara, commented:

"We are delighted to welcome Peter to the Board of Amara to focus on the corporate social responsibility, community relations and environmental aspects of the business together with broader African political relations. He brings with him valuable experience in African politics, which complements the skillset of our other Board members. We now have extremely strong capabilities and expertise at Board level including geology, mining engineering, finance and the capital markets, as well as international relations. We view all of these areas as important to the success of our business and Peter's appointment comes as part of the Board's review of its structure, as we position ourselves to make the transition to becoming a mid-tier producer."

Further details on Mr Hain are set out as an Appendix to this release.

Appendix: Peter Hain

In terms of the appointment of Mr Peter Gerald Hain (aged 63) to the Board, there is no information that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies, save for the below:

Mr Hain is a Partner in the consultancy HaywoodHainLLP. He has been a Privy Councillor since 2002 and is the Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Africa IDM Business School. In the last five years he has been a trustee of the Donald Woods Foundation and the Chair of the Silbury Trust.

Mr Hain does not hold any other directorships. In the last 5 years, Mr Hain has not been a director of any other companies.


About Amara Mining plc

Amara (formerly Cluff Gold plc) is a gold developer-producer with assets in West Africa. The Company generates significant cash flow through its Kalsaka gold mine in Burkina Faso, where the production profile has been enhanced by the recent acquisition of the neighbouring Sega project. Amara remains focused on its objective of becoming a mid-tier producer through the development of its Baomahun project in Sierra Leone and its Yaoure project in Cote d'Ivoire. With its experience of bringing new mines into production and a project pipeline spanning Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Mali, Amara aims to further increase its production profile with its highly prospective exploration work across all assets.



Contacts:

Amara Mining plc
John McGloin, Chairman
+44 (0)20 7398 1420

Amara Mining plc
Peter Spivey, Chief Executive Officer
+44 (0)20 7398 1420

Amara Mining plc
Pete Gardner, Finance Director
+44 (0)20 7398 1420

Amara Mining plc

Katharine Sutton, Head of Investor Relations
+44 (0)20 7398 1420

Canaccord Genuity Limited
(Nominated Adviser & Broker, London)
Andrew Chubb
+44 (0)20 7523 8350

Canaccord Genuity Limited
(Nominated Adviser & Broker, London)
Seb Jones / Tim Redfern / Charlie Vivian
+44 (0)20 7523 8350

Pelham Bell Pottinger
(Financial Public Relations)
Lorna Spears / James MacFarlane
+44 (0)20 7861 3232 or +44 (0) 7977 297 903