Zug, 20 July 2012

Peet Nienaber, Chief Executive, Xstrata Alloys, has decided to retire for personal and family reasons.  Peet has led Xstrata Alloys, comprising the Group's ferrochrome, platinum and vanadium assets, since the inception of Xstrata plc in 2002.  Peet became responsible for Xstrata's South African chrome business following the 1997 acquisition by Xstrata AG of ChromeCorp, a company he co-founded in 1988.  

Peet will retire at the end of September 2012.  Loutjie Smit will become Acting Chief Executive, Xstrata Alloys on an interim basis to ensure business continuity and continue integration planning for the proposed merger with Glencore International.  Loutjie is a non-executive director of Xstrata South Africa and chairman of the Audit Committees of Xstrata Nickel and Xstrata Alloys.  

Mick Davis, Xstrata plc Chief Executive Officer, said: "Peet has built the world's leading integrated ferrochrome business from a standing start over the past 25 years.  In his time at Xstrata plc he has been a valued member of the executive team.  He leaves with our best wishes and sincere thanks for his contribution to Xstrata's growth and success."

End

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Xstrata contacts:

Media
Alison Flynn
Telephone +44 20 7968 2838
Mobile +44 7769 314374
Email aflynn@xstrata.com

Investors & Analysts
Martin Fewings
Telephone +44 20 7968 2893
Mobile +44 7990 591536
Email mfewings@xstrata.com

Notes to editors

Petrus (Peet) Nienaber
Peet, 62, started his career as an Iscor bursary holder at Iscor Steelworks in Newcastle and worked for 14 years in the ferroalloy industry at both Samancor and CMI until in 1988 he became one of the founder members of Chromecorp which was acquired by Xstrata AG in 1997.  In 1997, Peet was appointed Chief Executive of Xstrata's South African Alloys operations. He holds Bachelor and Honours degrees in engineering.

Loutjie Smit
Loutjie Smit has extensive experience in senior management roles in the mining industry, having worked at Gencor, as finance director at Billiton International (BVI), chief executive group finance and vice-president Risk Assessment and Assurance, Billiton plc.

About Xstrata plc
We are a major producer of a range of vital commodities used in everything from constructing buildings and delivering electricity, to developing jet engines and mobile phones. We are one of the top five global producers of copper, thermal and metallurgical coal, ferrochrome, zinc and nickel and we also produce silver, lead, platinum, gold, cobalt and vanadium.
Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Switzerland, we operate in over 20 countries and employ over 70,000 people at more than 100 operations and projects around the world. We work in a responsible and sustainable way, with an entrepreneurial spirit and dynamic approach. For more information, visit www.xstrata.com.

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