S&B Industrial Minerals S.A. (“S&B”) announces that on 14 September 2012, through its subsidiary S&B Industrial Minerals North America Inc., it acquired Rolling Rock Minerals Inc. and subsidiaries from Resource Capital Funds Fund IV and minority shareholders. Rolling Rock Minerals Inc. is the parent company of world-class wollastonite provider NYCO Minerals Inc. (NYCO). NYCO is global market leader in high quality wollastonite grades and in tripoli, with production facilities in U.S.A. and Mexico. The total cash consideration is $55.49 million for 100% of Rolling Rock Minerals' equity on a debt-free basis, including closing customary cash and working capital adjustments. The deal has been financed primarily through a new $50 million bilateral loan facility of a 5 year tenor arranged with M&T Bank in the U.S. The arrangement of this facility reflects the dynamics of the local market and further aligns S&B's funding structure with its diverse global footprint.

NYCO was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Willsboro, NY, U.S.A. It possesses key wollastonite operations consisting of mining and processing facilities in the state of New York in the U.S. and in Sonora, Mexico, and a smaller tripoli operation with mining and processing facilities in the states of Oklahoma and Missouri in the U.S. Annual production is around 100,000 MT which is comfortably within current capacity. NYCO currently employs 160 employees and has a well-established global distribution network with rapid response times and reliable deliveries. With state-of-the-art processing facilities, it produces a large range of custom made products based on wollastonite, for use in diverse end-use markets. Through its proprietary chemical modification technology, NYCO enhances the performance of the mineral to suit specific high value applications and provides efficient solutions to the unique challenges of its customers. Its products are sold worldwide for use in automotive and other polymer composites, friction materials, construction products, adhesives and sealants, paints and corrosion-resistant coatings, ceramics and metallurgical fluxes.

The acquisition of NYCO is consistent with S&B's diversification strategy, supporting a shift towards high added-value applications (plastics, paints and coatings), augmenting geographical presence in the Americas and Asia regions and complementing its product palette with a highly valuable mineral of significant potential. This transaction will further expand S&B's global reach, especially its operations in the Americas region, through the addition of 7 operational facilities and new mineral reserves. Consistent with S&B's market to mine philosophy, NYCO enables the formation of new integrated chains for the S&B Group that will accelerate growth in the higher-value specialty applications and expand its industrial solutions offering. Further anticipated benefits include leveraging S&B's existing sales and marketing infrastructure in Europe, contribution to S&B's growth efforts in Asia which is an attractive end-market for high value wollastonite and sharing of best practices in commercial activities.

Total sales for the year ended 31 December 2011 were $45.7 million and earnings before tax $5.4 million. The acquisition will be part of the Americas region and its financial performance will be fully consolidated as of 1 October 2012.

Kriton Anavlavis, CEO of S&B, said: “We are very pleased with this acquisition, as it is fully aligned with our diversification strategy. It further extends our increasingly broad geographic footprint while adding in parallel, a high-value mineral in our product portfolio. NYCO has built a solid business, and we see significant opportunities in integrating its strong brand name with our other global brands. In particular, the acquisition opens the door to numerous, new market to mine value chains and allows us to leverage a stronger platform from which to provide new industrial solutions to our current and new customers. This transaction is consistent with S&B's long term objective of delivering sustainable value growth and returns for shareholders. I would like to welcome NYCO's employees in joining our diverse multi-cultural community, contributing to valuable knowledge exchange and development within our organization, based on our collaborative learning culture.”

Investor Relations

17 September 2012

Wollastonite:  Wollastonite is a naturally occurring calcium metasilicate, which was first mined in California in 1935. It is an essential ingredient in numerous applications as a reinforcing filler. Applications include: automotive and other polymer composites, friction materials, construction products, adhesives and sealants, paints and corrosion-resistant coatings, ceramics and metallurgical fluxes.

Tripoli: Tripoli is generally classified as one of four categories of industrial silica (the other being industrial sand & gravel, quartz crystals and special silica stone products). Applications include: Abrasive tripoli is used extensively in the production of buffing and polishing compounds while primary markets include the automotive, housewares and plumbing industries.

S&B Industrial Minerals is a global diversified minerals and materials group, providing industrial solutions based on natural resources. With annual sales of more than €450 million, it serves a wide range of industrial applications in the global markets of metallurgy, foundry, construction and in various specialty niche sectors. Committed to Sustainable Development, S&B utilizes the multiple properties of industrial minerals to transform its mineral portfolio into customized industrial solutions that enhance the production processes of its customers and increase end-product performance. Through a well-balanced international presence and with leading positions in its markets, S&B operates in 20 countries, effecting sales in over 70 countries. S&B's shares are listed on the Athens Exchange since 1994 (ATHEX: ARBA). For more information, please visit www.sandb.com