Ivanplats Appoints Senior Mining Executive Steve Garcia to Lead the Company's Mine-Building Team in Africa

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA--(Marketwire - Feb. 4, 2013) - Ivanplats Limited (TSX:IVP) -

Editors note: There are four photos associated with this release.

Ivanplats Limited Executive Chairman Robert Friedland and Chief Executive Officer Lars-Eric Johansson today announced the appointment of Steve Garcia as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. Mr. Garcia will lead the development of the company's three principal projects: the Platreef platinum-palladium-gold-nickel-copper project in South Africa and the Kamoa copper and Kipushi zinc-copper projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"Steve has a proven ability to build world-scale mines on time and on budget," said Mr. Friedland.

"His experience and expertise will be a huge asset to our mine-building team as we continue to advance our three key African projects toward mine production."

Mr. Garcia, who has more than 30 years of experience in large-scale mine construction and operations, will be based in Johannesburg. He will work closely with Mike Gray, who joined Ivanplats in 2012 as Chief Operating Officer, on the design, engineering and development of Ivanplats' principal projects.

Mr. Garcia and Mr. Gray previously worked together in Mongolia, where Mr. Garcia was Executive Vice President of Ivanhoe Mines (now Turquoise Hill Resources) and Project Director for Ivanhoe's Oyu Tolgoi mine-development project, which began initial production of copper-gold concentrate last December. Mr. Garcia was responsible for Oyu Tolgoi's overall engineering, procurement and construction from 2005 until the end of 2012. Mr. Gray, the former President of McIntosh Engineering, has extensive experience in underground mine engineering, design and development at several of the world's largest mines, including Oyu Tolgoi, Grasberg, Bingham Canyon, El Teniente and Olympic Dam.

Prior to joining Ivanhoe Mines, Mr. Garcia worked on numerous large-scale, international mining projects, including the Grasberg copper-gold mine in Indonesia and several projects in the US and Asia. The first 20 years of his career were spent in various operating positions in the Freeport family of companies, including Vice President and General Manager, Mining, for its Florida phosphate operation.

"I am very pleased to rejoin Robert and his team of mine finders and developers. All three of Ivanplats' African projects have the potential to become outstanding new mines," said Mr. Garcia.

To view the photo of Steve Garcia, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130204-Steve-lg.jpg.

Other mine development, sustainability and public affairs appointments

Ivanplats also announced the following appointments:

Andre Zeelie, formerly Deputy Director of Mining with Oyu Tolgoi LLC, of Mongolia, and previously with prominent international mining contractor J. S. Redpath, of Canada, is joining the Ivanplats mine development team as Project Manager overseeing the rehabilitation of the Kipushi Mine. He will be based in Kipushi. From May 2005 to December 2012, Mr. Zeelie was responsible for the construction and sinking of Oyu Tolgoi's 1,385-metre Shaft #1 and the sinking of Shaft #2 to a depth of approximately 950 metres. Mr. Zeelie managed all areas of underground mine development at Oyu Tolgoi, including shaft sinking, lateral development, raise boring and underground exploration drilling. Earlier in his career, Mr. Zeelie was Senior Site Manager for the sinking of the first 500 metres of the 1,657-metre Shaft #16 at the Impala Platinum Mine in South Africa.

To view the photo of Andre Zeelie, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130204-Andre-lg.jpg.

Gopolang Enoch Makokwe will be based in the company's Johannesburg office as Vice President of Business Sustainability. He will be responsible for the implementation of socio-economic programs and initiatives in communities affected by Ivanplats' mine development projects. Mr. Makokwe is a South African mining engineer with extensive experience in underground gold and coal mining, deep-level platinum exploration and mining reclamation. He also has considerable experience in community relations and sustainability initiatives, including renewable energy technologies and sustainable agriculture.

To view the photo of Gopolang Enoch Makokwe, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130204-Gopolang-lg.jpg.

Jeremy Michaels also will be based in Johannesburg as Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs with the company's wholly owned, South Africa-based subsidiary, Ivanplats SA. He primarily will focus on enhancing stakeholder engagement at Ivanplats' projects in South Africa, the DRC and Gabon and ensure that the company communicates effectively with all of its target audiences, including media. Mr. Michaels has 18 years' experience working with South African government agencies and in media and public relations. Previous positions included Head of Communications and International Coordination for South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources. Mr. Michaels most recently was a Director with Brunswick Group, an international communications and public affairs consulting firm.

To view the photo of Jeremy Michaels, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130204-Jeremy-lg.jpg.

About Ivanplats

Ivanplats Limited (TSX:IVP), with offices in Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom, is advancing and developing its three principal projects:

• The Kamoa copper discovery in the DRC.
  
  
• The Platreef platinum-palladium-gold-nickel-copper discovery on the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa.
  
  
• The Kipushi zinc-copper mine in the DRC, on care and maintenance since 1993.
  
  

Ivanplats also is evaluating other opportunities as part of its objective to become a broadly based international mining company.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in the company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this document, the words such as "could," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "potential," "should" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information.

All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by Ivanplats' management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the company's MD&A. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.