2001-10-16

The Manager
Company Announcements Office
Australian Stock Exchange Limited
20 Bond Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000 Dear Sir/Madam,

ASX Announcement
CONTRACT METALLURGIST - TANTALITE DEPOSIT

Gippsland is pleased to announce that it has entered into a contract consultancy agreement with metallurgist John Flemming in regard to the Company's 48-million tonne Abu Dabbab tantalite deposit located in Egypt.

John Flemming is recognised internationally as a foremost expert in gravity separation techniques and associated extraction technology, having had some 30 years experience in the processing of tantalite, niobium and tin ores.

John has held the positions of Technical Services Manager, Chief Metallurgist and Mill Superintendent with major companies operating in this industry in Canada, UK and Australia. His past positions have included Mill Superintendent of Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada Limited (TANCO) and Chief Metallurgist for Renison Bell Limited in Tasmania.

His initial involvement will entail the review of the large metallurgical database resulting from work undertaken by Russian engineers in Moscow in the 1970's and the Italians technologists who investigated the project in detail during the early 1990's. He will also oversee and advise on metallurgical testwork to be carried out by Gippsland.

During the past decade, considerable advances have been achieved in enhanced gravity separation techniques, particularly with respect to the type of mineralisation found within the Abu Dabbab deposit.

These recent advances in gravity separation technologies together with John Flemming's involvement, will have a very positive effect on the overall Abu Dabbab exploitation programme.

John (Jack) Telford
Executive Chairman

ASX 01.10.16