VDM Van Dieman

RNS Number:1668V
Van Dieman Mines plc
06 December 2005



05 December 2005

VAN DIEMAN MINES PLC                                                   (AIM:VDM)

         Mining Lease Granted, Endurance Tin/Sapphire Project, Tasmania

   *Full Tin/Sapphire Production on target to commence 2006
   *Site preparation and infrastructure to begin immediately at two primary
    licences
   *First sapphires produced for initial marketing within North America

Van Dieman Mines Plc ("Van Dieman" or "the Company"), the AIM quoted tin and
sapphire developer operating in Tasmania, Australia, today announces the
granting of a mining lease for the Company's Endurance resource area following
formal approval by the Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and
Resources. The Endurance project is one of the three principal tenements at the
Company's tin and sapphire project in north eastern Tasmania.

Now the grant of mining lease has been secured at Endurance, the Company will
apply to commence access road works and other preliminary infrastructure works.
At Scotia earthworks have commenced in the area and within the adjoining
exploration tenements. Roadwork has been completed northwards along the Scotia
Lead and now ground conditions are drying out after heavy and un-seasonal rains
further drainage works will commence soon. Planning for the new access road from
the main public road is well advanced and earthworks are expected to commence
during December.

At Van Dieman's Gladstone premises the depot land is currently being levelled
prior to erection of the tin clean-up shed and associated site works. The 25m x
15m shed is on site in knocked down form and is scheduled for erection prior to
the end of the year.

The mine rough sapphires produced from the pilot plant programme are being
forwarded to the Company's laboratories in the USA for sorting, grading and
cutting. The cut stone samples will then form the basis for initial marketing to
the major jewellery buyers in North America.

Commenting on this latest development, Clive Trist, Managing Director, said:

"The granting of the Endurance mining lease allows Van Dieman to move forward
with the commencement of mining activities at the Endurance and Scotia
tenements. With first mine rough sapphires produced earlier this month Van
Dieman is on course to commence full tin and sapphire production next year."

For more information:

Clive Trist
Van Dieman Mines Tel: +61(0) 2 9264 0433
E-mail: ctrist@vandiemanmines.com

Laurence Read/ Leesa Peters
Conduit PR Tel: +44(0) 20 79369095 /+44 (0) 7979 955 923
E-mail: laurence@conduitpr.com






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