13 January 2017

                                 Imperial Minerals plc                             
                                    (the "Company")                                

                                   Grant of Options                                

    The Company announces that it has granted 5,000,000 options ("Options") over
    ordinary shares of 0.1pence each in the share capital of the Company ("Ordinary
    Shares"). The Options are being granted to the directors of the Company as
    remuneration and incentivisation arrangements for the financial year ending
    2017 and may be exercised at any time up to the fifth anniversary from the date
    of this announcement. The Options are exercisable at a price of 4 pence per
    Ordinary Share, being a premium of 100 per cent. to the last fund raising as
    announced on 9 December 2016. The Options equate to 16.26 per cent. of the
    current issued share capital of the Company. Following this grant, James
    Hamilton has 2,500,000 Options in total and Russell Hardwick has 2,500,000
    Options in total.

    The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this
    announcement.

    For further information please contact:

    Imperial Minerals plc
    Russell Hardwick
    Tel: + 61 417 714 292

    Peterhouse Corporate Finance Limited
    Guy Miller and Mark Anwyl
    Tel: 020 7469 0930