Aberdeen Completes Portfolio Investment in African Thunder Platinum Limited

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec 30, 2014) - Aberdeen International Inc. (TSX:AAB) ("Aberdeen" or the "Company"), further to its press release dated November 14, 2014, is pleased to announce that through its wholly owned subsidiary Great Lakes Capital Management Inc. ("Great Lakes"), the Company has completed its investment into a privately held Mauritius company, African Thunder Platinum Limited ("ATP"). The Company, along with its co-investment partner Pala Investments Limited ("Pala") have each invested an aggregate of USD$7,000,000 and as a result both Great Lakes and Pala each hold a 42.25% interest in ATP. The remaining 15.5% interest in ATP is held by Platinum Australia Ltd. (the "Seller") and an Australian bank as minority shareholders.

ATP has acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of certain subsidiary companies from the Seller which directly and indirectly hold interests in various projects including a 69.75% interest in the Smokey Hills mine, a former production PGM mine and processing plant located on the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld and a 49% interest in the Kalplats project, a highly prospective PGM property located in the Kraaipan Greenstone belt. It is anticipated that the restart of the Smokey Hills mine and processing will occur within the first quarter of 2015.

David Stein, President and CEO of Aberdeen stated, "On behalf of management of Aberdeen, we are extremely pleased to have played an integral role in the negotiation and financing of this transaction which is consistent with the investment strategy of Aberdeen of making opportunistic investments in quality assets trading at cyclical lows. Being able to take advantage of the recently built infrastructure at the Smokey Hills mine with financing in place to attain commercial production will provide ATP with the foundation needed to grow into a low cost platinum producer. In addition, we see additional resource potential from the Kaplats property and longer term growth potential for ATP as a result. Both platinum and palladium, the co-products of the Smokey Hills mine are in supply deficits with longer term demand fundamentals."

ATP and Aberdeen have two directors in common, being Mr. David Stein and Mr. Michael Hoffman. In the coming weeks it is anticipated that both Messrs Stein and Hoffman will resign from the board of directors of ATP and Mr. George Faught and Mr. Stan Bharti will be appointed as the Aberdeen nominees to the board of directors of ATP. Prior to the closing of the transaction, ATP was not a related party of Aberdeen or its wholly-owned subsidiary, Great Lakes under Canadian securities laws and therefore the transaction was not a related party transaction under Canadian securities laws. Further, Aberdeen, and Great Lakes are arm's length parties to Pala, the Seller and the Australian bank, are not related parties pursuant to securities laws of such entities and have no common officers or directors of such entities. Following completion of the transaction, Aberdeen, Great Lakes and ATP will become related parties of each other under Canadian securities laws as a result of the acquisition of 42.25% of the issued shares of ATP. As disclosed in the Company's financial statements, ATP is related party of Aberdeen for accounting purposes only under IAS 24 as result of having common directors.

Corporate Update

The Company continues to work with Landmark Equity Advisors, LLC ("Landmark") to complete the previously announced transaction pursuant to which Landmark, through a vehicle to be formed, will acquire from Aberdeen certain portfolio investments, consisting of certain equity and debt interests held by Aberdeen (See Press Release dated September 15, 2014). The investment in ATP is does not form part of the portfolio investments to be sold to Landmark. The parties entered into a non-binding letter agreement on September 14, 2014 and accordingly, completion of the transaction remains subject to the entering into of definitive and binding agreements, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange. As previously announced, the transaction price is subject to certain adjustments, which may be adjusted on an upwards or downwards basis in connection with market conditions. While the Company is in continued negotiations with Landmark, there is no certainty that the transaction will completed as proposed or at all.

About Pala Investments

Pala Investments is an investment company focused exclusively on the mining sector with a strong track record of successful investments and value creation. Pala's team has extensive experience within the sector and seeks to assist companies in which it has long-term shareholdings by providing strategic advice and innovative solutions in development, production, turnaround and advanced exploration situations. Pala invests across all geographies and in all mining commodities as well as mining services and consumables. For more information, visit www.pala.com.

About Aberdeen International Inc:

Aberdeen is a publicly traded global investment and merchant banking company focused on small cap companies in the resource sector. Aberdeen will seek to acquire significant equity participation in pre-IPO and/or early stage public resource companies with undeveloped or undervalued high-quality resources. Aberdeen will focus on companies that: (i) are in need of managerial, technical and financial resources to realize their full potential; (ii) are undervalued in foreign capital markets; and/or (iii) operate in jurisdictions with low to moderate local political risk. Aberdeen will seek to provide value-added managerial and board advisory services to companies.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.aberdeeninternational.ca and follow us on Facebook and Twitter: AberdeenAAB.

Cautionary Note

Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "plans", "proposes", "estimates", "intends", "expects", "believes", "may", "will" and include without limitation, statements regarding the future potential of the investment and development of the property, the ability to complete the proposed restart plan, statements with respect to mineral resource estimates, mineral prices, exploration and development timetables and budgets and future production scenarios, the anticipated timing with respect to the development of the properties, the ability of the Company to generate additional value for shareholders as a result of such transactions, if completed at all, past success as an indicator of future success; net asset value of the Company; the potential of investee companies and the appreciation of their share price; the Company's plan of business operations; and anticipated returns. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, metal prices, competition, financing risks, acquisition risks, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.