Hoax Email Alert

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March 7, 2012
Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.

SMM has recently became aware of hoax emails being circulated to Australian and North American mining companies from someone purporting to be acting on behalf of or with the support of SMM.

SMM has a long business history and, as well as being engaged in mining activities world-wide, is the owner of the Hishikari Gold Mine (Japan) and Pogo Gold Mine (Alaska), which boast excellent grade gold ore. Like other companies, SMM is susceptible to false representations by individuals acting without SMM's knowledge or approval.

Although there are several types of hoax emails, the authors of the hoax emails purport to be acting under instructions of SMM's senior executives in trying to orchestrate some sort of merger arrangement between SMM's Hishikari gold mine or Pogo gold mine and operations owned by the recipient mining company. In addition, such hoax emails often promise to introduce the recipient to SMM's senior management.

Some of the hoax emails also forward forged emails which pretends to be written by SMM's senior executive. Such forged emails authorize the recipient (the author of the hoax email) to contact a potential purchaser (the recipient of the hoax email) on behalf of SMM.

In some cases, the authors of the hoax emails represent themselves as "Satoshi Ito" or "Troy Oxford (TR Oxford)".

These emails are not in any way authorized by SMM and SMM has no knowledge of the identity of the authors of the emails or the organizations to which they may belong.

Although the recent hoax emails have been of similar content, it may be that there will be other hoax emails sent by individuals purporting to act on behalf of or under the authority of SMM.

If you are concerned that you have received a hoax email or emails purporting to relate to SMM or its projects please email SMM at Hoax_Warning@ni.smm.co.jp.