NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- (Marketwire) -- 12/31/12 -- Electrum Global Holdings L.P. (the "Offeror") announces that as part of an internal reorganization involving GRAT Holdings LLC ("Holdings"), which principally controls each of Leopard Holdings LLC ("Leopard"), The Electrum Group LLC ("TEG Services"), the Offeror, the sole general partner of the Offeror, TEG Global GP Ltd. ("Global GP"), and Electrum Strategic Metals LLC ("ESML"), which occurred on December 28 and 31, 2012 (the "Closing"), the Offeror acquired ownership of 11,914,286 common shares (each, a "Common Share") in the capital of AsiaBaseMetals Inc. (the "issuer"), which Common Shares were previously held by ESML.

Following the Closing, the Offeror holds 11,914,286 Common Shares or 16.3% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, with the result being that Holdings has indirect control over 11,914,286 Common Shares, representing 16.3% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares.

The Common Shares referred to above are held for investment purposes and the Offeror and/or one or more of its joint actors (Holdings, Leopard, Global GP and TEG Services) may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership of Common Shares or other securities of the issuer whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreement or otherwise.

The Offeror is located at 535 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY, USA 10022. A copy of the early warning report relating to the Closing can be obtained from Michael Williams (646-365-1600) or on the SEDAR profile of the issuer at www.sedar.com.