Mine Manager Appointment

RNS Number:3254N
Van Dieman Mines plc
06 December 2006

                              VAN DIEMAN MINES PLC

                          Mine Manager Joins the Team

Van Dieman Mines plc ("Van Dieman" or "the Company"), the AIM-listed mining
company which is developing tin and sapphire mines in Tasmania, is pleased to
announce that David Fox has joined the team in Tasmania that is responsible for
the start up, ongoing operation and progressive rehabilitation of the Scotia and
Endurance mines.

David is a well qualified mine manager with the experience of bringing mines
into operation. He brings with him an extensive background in alluvial mining
and processing operations. He has previously worked in Tasmania as mine manager
of Amalgamated Metal Corporation plc ("AMC") subsidiary Northern Chromite where
he managed the operation through an expansionary phase and then on to exhaustion
of the alluvial / eluvial deposit and rehabilitation of the site. He
subsequently spent seven years with AMC, based in Perth, as regional manager of
their mining services division. He was responsible for their tin/tantalite
processing plant in Darwin. He was also responsible for providing technical
advice to their alluvial tin/tantalite operations at Bynoe Harbour and AMC's tin
interests in the Atherton tablelands in North Queensland, Banka Island,
Indonesia and in Southern Thailand. He subsequently spent ten years with Auspore
Industries, Singapore during which time he spent a year evaluating their tin
operations at Nong Xun in Laos, including both reserve assessment and processing
plant evaluation and modification.

Clive Trist, Managing Director commented:

"We continue to make steady progress towards bringing our first two mines into
production. The appointment of the mine manager is obviously key and we are very
happy that David Fox has joined us. His experience will be invaluable in
bringing these operations into production and overseeing their ongoing operation
in a safe and cost effective fashion. His experience in mine site rehabilitation
is important in ensuring the Company progressively meets its environmental
obligations as mining progresses.

6 December 2006

ENQUIRIES:

VAN DIEMAN MINES plc                 Tel: [phone]
Clive Trist, Managing Director       Email: [e-mail]
                               
GRANT THORNTON CORPORATE FINANCE     Tel: [phone]
Fiona Owen                        

BANKSIDE CONSULTANTS                 Tel: [phone]
Michael Padley / Daniela Hale

Editors' Note

Van Dieman Mines is developing tin and sapphire mines in north east Tasmania
where the Company holds several leases. The Scotia and Endurance mines are
expected to be in production during the first half of 2007. A pilot plant has
been operating in tenements close to and adjoining the Scotia lease since
November 2005. The plant has produced mine run corundum including sapphire and
associated semi precious gem material including topaz, zircon and spinel for
evaluation by the Company's contracted laboratory in the US.

A six-year contract was signed in July 2005 with tin smelter and refiner,
Thaisarco (an Amalgamated Metal Corporation plc subsidiary), for the offtake of
the Company's entire tin concentrate output of 1,350-1,500 tonnes contained tin
per year at prevailing LME prices. In addition, an agreement has been signed
with a well known and highly respected US jewellery and gem stone marketer to
market the sapphire production, and the potential market for the spinel gemstone
by-product is continuing to be evaluated. The initial marketing for both
products is underway and the Company should be in a position to give a detailed
update by the end of the year.



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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