Ivanhoe Mines Evaluating Implications of Arbitration Decision on Company's Shareholders' Rights Plan

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/13/11 -- Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN)(NYSE: IVN)(NASDAQ: IVN) announced today that the company and its legal counsel are continuing to evaluate the implications of an arbitrator's decision on the company's Shareholders' Rights Plan that was issued Monday, December 12, and addressed in Ivanhoe's December 12 news release.

One result of the decision is that Ivanhoe's Shareholders' Rights Plan remains in effect and applicable to all shareholders, including Rio Tinto. Anti-dilution rights granted to Rio Tinto by Ivanhoe Mines in the 2006 Private Placement Agreement also remain in effect.

Rio Tinto's maximum permitted interest in Ivanhoe Mines remains capped at its current level of 49% until January 18, 2012. The Shareholders' Rights Plan does not expire until April 2013.

Copies of Ivanhoe's Shareholders' Rights Plan and the Private Placement Agreement both are available on the company's SEDAR filing site, accessible through IvanhoeMines.com.

About Ivanhoe Mines

Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN)(NYSE: IVN)(NASDAQ: IVN) is an international mining company with operations focused in the Asia Pacific region. Assets include the company's 66% interest in the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold-silver mine development project in southern Mongolia; its 58% interest in Mongolian coal miner SouthGobi Resources (TSX: SGQ)(HK: 1878); a 59% interest in Ivanhoe Australia (TSX: IVA)(ASX: IVA), a copper-gold-uranium-molybdenum-rhenium exploration and development company; and a 50% interest in Altynalmas Gold Ltd., a private company developing the Kyzyl Gold Project in Kazakhstan.

Contacts:

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. - Investors

Bill Trenaman

+1.604.688.5755


Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. - Media

Bob Williamson

+1.604.331.9830
www.ivanhoemines.com