African Copper Plc: Cost Estimates for Concentrator.

LONDON -- African Copper Plc (TSX:ACU)(AIM:ACU)(BSE:African Copper)

- US$37 million estimated for direct capital costs for surface crushers, grinding mill and 3000 tonne per day concentrator with tailings facility and backfill plant.

- US$15 per tonne estimated processing costs, including general and administrative costs.

African Copper Plc ("African Copper" or the "Company") provides an update on the detailed engineering studies that are underway on its Dukwe Copper Project in Botswana. The Company has received the initial capital cost estimates for a combined underground mine and floatation concentrator from the Project Managers Read Swatman & Voight (Pty) Ltd, with Senet CC producing all the process plant designs. All consulting firms are located in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa and are independent of African Copper.

A total of approximately US$37 million has been estimated to be required in direct costs to construct a 350 tonne per hour three-stage crushing circuit feeding a standard ball mill and sequential sulphide and oxide floatation circuits. Excess tailings will be filtered and dry stacked, and allowance has been made for a paste backfill plant. The mill is rated for a 3000 tonnes per day throughput, but all designs have been made to allow for an expansion in the future.

The underground mine has been designed utilizing a twin ramp system. The linear nature of the copper deposit at Dukwe is amenable to conveyor haulage from the deeper parts of the deposit. The twin system will utilize one ramp for a conveyor system, and the sister ramp for the movement of men and materials. In the initial years of the mine, it is envisaged that supergene material will be hauled to surface by truck from above the 125 metre level. Final underground mine design and related capital cost will be completed after the current delineation drilling program has determined the geometry and distribution of copper in the deposit.

Detailed operating cost estimates are currently being prepared but initial estimates show crushing, grinding and flotation costs of approximately US$10 per tonne and general and administration costs of about US$5 per tonne. Mine operating costs will become available upon the finalization of the underground mine design. African Copper is targeting initial underground production of approximately 50 million pounds of copper in concentrate per annum.

Locked cycle metallurgical tests from the sulphide material have shown recoveries between 88% and 93% creating marketable concentrates containing 27% to 30% copper (see press release dated 23 November 2005). The environmental, archaeological and water permitting processes have been initiated with permits expected shortly.

"Management of African Copper is pleased with this capital cost estimate. We continue to drive the Dukwe project towards production as soon as possible to capture current record copper prices" commented David Jones, CEO of the Company. "We would like to thank our engineering, process and geotechnical consultants for their commitment and hard work over the past three months."

The current 20,000 metre resource delineation drilling programme commenced in August 2005 with over 15,000 metres of diamond core drilling in over 54 holes completed to date. The infill drilling has confirmed the broad geology and styles of mineralization encountered in historic drill holes. The current drill program is focussed along a 2,000 metre stretch of the shear zone, but mineralization has been drill tested by previous companies and shown to exist for a further 2,000 metres to the north of the current drill area, and for 1,000 metres to the south. Subsequent to the completion of this delineation drilling programme, the underground mine design and production schedule will be finalized.

Cross-sections through the deposit, as well as surface geology maps are available on the African Copper website at www.africancopper.com.

Mr. Joseph Hamilton, P.Geo., and Chief Operating Officer of African Copper, is a "qualified person" as defined in Canada by National Instrument 43-101. This press release has been prepared under Mr. Hamilton's supervision.

African Copper is a tri-listed (AIM, TSX, Botswana Stock Exchange) international exploration company. Six drills are currently on-site at the Dukwe Copper Project completing a sulphide delineation drill programme. The Company's other interests are the 4,000 sq km Matsitama exploration concession adjacent to Dukwe, which contains two known copper deposits and numerous base metal exploration targets. African Copper has approximately 52 million shares outstanding.

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Dukwe Copper Project and African Copper including capital and processing cost estimates, production rates, amounts, timetables and methods, mining methods, metallurgical recovery rates, government permitting timetables and strategic plans and are based on current expectations that involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward looking statement include, but are not limited to, failure to establish estimated resources and reserves, the grade and recovery of ore which is mined varying from estimates, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, production rates, methods and amounts varying from estimates, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in development and other factors. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof and we assume no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

For further information about our properties, to download a copy of our Annual Report, any technical report or to access our Press Release Archive please visit our website at www.africancopper.com.

African Copper Plc (TSX:ACU) (AIM:ACU)