Compulsory Acqn of Shares

RNS Number:9359V
Colas Limited
15 December 2000


Aram Resources plc

15 December 2000

Not for release or distribution in or into the United States, Canada, Japan or
Australia

COLAS LIMITED - RECOMMENDED CASH OFFERS FOR ARAM RESOURCES PLC

COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF ORDINARY SHARES

On 5 December 2000, Colas Limited ("Colas") declared its recommended cash
offers for Aram Resources plc ("Aram") wholly unconditional. Colas is today
despatching notices of its intention to exercise its rights under section 429
of the Companies Act 1985 to acquire compulsorily the remaining Aram Ordinary
Shares which it does not already own.

The Ordinary Offer remains open for acceptance and Ordinary Shareholders who
have not yet accepted the Ordinary Offer are urged to complete and return
their Forms of Acceptance as soon as possible.

Application will be made, in the near future, to the UK Listing Authority for
cancellation of Aram's trading facility on AIM.

A copy of the section 429 notice is available for inspection, during normal
business hours, on any weekday (Saturdays and public holidays excepted) at the
offices of Lovells, 65 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2DY, for at least 14 days
from today and whilst the Ordinary Offer remains open for acceptance.

Enquiries:

PricewaterhouseCoopers:
Peter Culver                    020 7213 3418

Colas Limited:
Tony Gray                     01342 711 000


Terms defined in the offer document dated 24 November 2000 shall have the same
meaning in this announcement unless the context requires otherwise.

The Offers are not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into the United
States, Canada, Japan or Australia. Accordingly, copies of this announcement
are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise distributed or sent into
or from the United States, Canada, Japan or Australia.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, which is authorised to carry on investment business by
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, is acting only
for Colas and no one else in connection with the Offers and will not regard
any other person as its client or be responsible to any person other than
Colas for providing the protections afforded to clients of
PricewaterhouseCoopers or for giving advice to any such person in relation to
the Offers.