FEB 25, 2002

FORMER BILLITON EXPLORATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO JOIN BOARD OF AIM-LISTED TERTIARY

· David Whitehead To Become Non-Executive Director In May - Background in Project Development and Mine Management
· Dr Michael Price To Step Down Following Societe Generale Appointment

Tertiary Minerals plc is pleased to announce that Mr David Whitehead will join the company as a non-executive Director on 1 May 2001 after he retires in April from BHP Billiton Plc where he is Vice President Integration, Exploration and Innovation.

Mr Whitehead brings with him exploration and general mining and management skills, including the experience of project development and operating mine management. He has been involved in nearly every type of exploration and his experience with large scale projects will be particularly relevant following the recent granting to Tertiary of exclusive exploration rights over the world-class Ghurayyah tantalum project in Saudi Arabia.

Educated at Trinity College, University of Dublin, where he was a NATO Research Scholar for geology, Mr Whitehead, 59, began his mining industry career in Ireland in 1966. Over the next decade he held the position of chief geologist at both the Tynagh and Tara base metal mines followed by a two-year posting to South Africa with US Steel Corporation.

He has been with the Billiton Group since 1976 and was responsible for all of Billiton's exploration and development world-wide in 1986-87 when Billiton was a part of Royal Dutch Shell. He was appointed Chief Executive, Exploration and Development of Billiton Plc in 1997 and, in that role, he created and introduced a market oriented and commercial approach to minerals exploration involving the formation of strategic alliances with junior exploration companies and the leveraging of group capabilities with funding obtained in venture capital markets.

Since last year's merger of Billiton with BHP to form the world's biggest mining group, Mr Whitehead, among other things, has been leading the team responsible for the integration of the two companies' exploration and development groups into a single unit, together with establishing the objectives and operating strategies for its activities.

Mr Whitehead will take the place on the Tertiary board being vacated by Dr Michael Price who is stepping down as a non-executive director on 30 April following his recent appointment as Managing Director, Head of Mining and Metals at Societe Generale.

The company is extremely grateful to Dr Price for his invaluable help in the past few years as the Company dealt with the challenges of obtaining a listing on AIM, as well as running a substantial exploration programme.

Further Information:
Patrick Cheetham,Tertiary Minerals plc.
Tel: 07767-458751(mobile)

John Greenhalgh/Ron Marshman, City of London PR Ltd.
Tel: 020-7628-5518; 070500-39678