Dacha Strategic Metals Inc. ("Dacha") (TSX VENTURE:DSM)(OTCQX:DCHAF) and
Aberdeen International Inc. ("Aberdeen") (TSX:AAB) are pleased to announce that
they have entered into a definitive agreement (the "Business Combination
Agreement") pursuant to which Dacha and Aberdeen will, subject to shareholder,
court and regulatory approvals, enter into a plan of arrangement pursuant to
which Dacha will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Aberdeen and Aberdeen
will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Dacha (the "Transaction"). Under the
terms of the Transaction, shareholders of Aberdeen will receive 0.80 of a Dacha
common share for each common share of Aberdeen held. The board of directors of
each company has unanimously approved the Transaction. Upon completion of the
Transaction, existing Dacha and Aberdeen shareholders will own approximately 52%
and 48% of the combined company, respectively, on a basic shares outstanding
basis. 


Based on the 20-day volume weighted trading price ("VWAP") of Dacha's common
shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") of $0.517 and the 20-day VWAP of
Aberdeen's common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") of $0.384 for
the period ending August 14, 2012, the Transaction represents a premium of
approximately 7.6% to Aberdeen. On August 14, 2012 the closing prices of the
Dacha common shares and the Aberdeen common shares were $0.50 and $0.40,
respectively. 


Highlights of the Transaction:



--  Effectively doubles the total available capital for the combined company
    to better exploit market opportunities in junior equities and strategic
    rare elements; 
    
--  Enhanced market capitalization and trading liquidity creating critical
    mass and greater market presence in a down market for shareholders; 
    
--  Improved investment portfolio diversity with exposure to undervalued
    equities as well as critical metals; 
    
--  Enhanced portfolio liquidity allowing for efficient access to deployable
    capital; 
    
--  Strong share price re-rating potential due to increased liquidity, scale
    and strategic positioning; 
    
--  Expanded and enhanced management expertise and network of industry
    relationships; and 
    
--  Opportunity for corporate administration expense reduction synergies. 



Management and Directors: 

Following the completion of the Transaction, it is expected that the executive
management of the combined company will consist of Messrs. Stan Bharti
(Executive Chairman), Scott Moore (CEO), David Stein (President), Ryan Ptolemy
(CFO and Corporate Secretary), Alastair Neill (Executive Vice President) and
Richard Bishop (VP Investments). It is anticipated that the new board will
consist of four nominees of Dacha and four nominees of Aberdeen or as mutually
agreed upon by the parties. 


Scott Moore, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dacha states: "The
Transaction will provide Dacha shareholders with exposure to a larger, more
diversified and liquid investment company. Aberdeen has an exciting portfolio of
equities that are largely undervalued in the current market environment. Thus, a
potential market turnaround could result in substantial value creation for
shareholders. Furthermore, the increased liquidity and diversity allows us to
better manage our strategic metal inventory and opportunistically make
acquisitions or divestitures of material over time. Dacha's industry leading
rare metal management team will be complemented by the strong investment team at
Aberdeen." 


David Stein, Chief Executive Officer of Aberdeen adds: "The Transaction with
Dacha will benefit Aberdeen shareholders by increasing the total amount of
capital that can be deployed into undervalued micro-cap equities while still
being able to exploit opportunities in strategic rare elements. Our shareholders
will retain a significant ownership in the new company and will maintain
significant leverage to an inevitable rebound in equity prices, while gaining
access to a strategic asset class and professional expertise that could further
enhance the menu of investment opportunities available to shareholders in the
future. Furthermore, current management of Aberdeen will play a major role going
forward in the management of the new company." 


Transaction Details 

Pursuant to the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, the Transaction
will be conducted by way of a court approved plan of arrangement (under the
Business Corporations Act (Ontario)), resulting in Aberdeen becoming a direct or
indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Dacha. Each Aberdeen common share issued and
outstanding immediately prior to closing of the Transaction will be exchanged
for 0.80 of a Dacha common share.  


All options of Aberdeen outstanding immediately prior to closing of the
Transaction will, following closing and subject to regulatory approval, be
exercisable for that number of shares of Dacha using the same exchange ratio
applicable to the common shares of Aberdeen under the Transaction, with
corresponding adjustment to the exercise prices on the basis of such exchange
ratio. 


Aberdeen shareholders will be granted dissent rights which, if exercised in
accordance with applicable requirements, will provide such shareholders the
right to be paid the fair value for their Aberdeen common shares by Aberdeen. 


The Transaction is subject to customary conditions, including:



--  approval by a minimum of 66 2/3% of the votes cast by Aberdeen
    shareholders at a duly called special shareholders' meeting; 
    
--  approval by a majority of the votes cast by Aberdeen shareholders at the
    special meeting, excluding any votes required to be excluded pursuant to
    applicable regulatory requirements ("majority of the minority" approval)
    under MI 61-101 (as defined below) and the rules of the TSX; 
    
--  approval by a majority of the votes cast by Dacha shareholders at a duly
    called special shareholders' meeting excluding any votes required to be
    excluded under the rules of the TSXV; 
    
--  receipt of interim and final orders of the Ontario Superior Court
    approving the Transaction; 
    
--  approval/acceptance of the TSX and TSXV of the Transaction; 
    
--  receipt of applicable third-party consents; 
    
--  all of the directors and officers of Aberdeen, whose holdings represent
    an aggregate of approximately 14% of the outstanding Aberdeen common
    shares, shall have agreed to support the Transaction by entering into
    agreements to vote in favour of the Transaction, and all of the
    directors and officers of Dacha, whose holdings represent an aggregate
    of approximately 4% of the outstanding Dacha common shares, shall have
    agreed to support the Transaction by entering into agreements to vote in
    favour of the Transaction; 
    
--  Aberdeen shareholders holding no more than 5% of the outstanding
    Aberdeen shares having exercised dissent rights; and 
    
--  other conditions as are customary for transactions of this nature. 



Upon completion of the Transaction, Dacha will have approximately 144.3 million
common shares outstanding (170.2 million common shares on a fully-diluted
basis), and the ownership of the combined company is expected to be
approximately 52% by existing Dacha shareholders and 48% by former Aberdeen
shareholders on a basic shares outstanding basis. 


Timing 

The terms of the Business Combination Agreement will be described in detail in
the joint management information circular of Dacha and Aberdeen to be filed with
the regulatory authorities and mailed to Dacha and Aberdeen shareholders in
accordance with applicable securities laws in respect of the special meeting of
each of Dacha and Aberdeen shareholders expected to be held in October 2012.
Subject to shareholder, court and regulatory approvals, the Transaction is also
expected to close in October 2012. 


Special Committees and Recommendation of Boards of Directors 

The board of directors of Dacha and Aberdeen have each established a special
committee to review the proposed Transaction. The Dacha special committee
retained Cormark Securities Inc. ("Cormark") as its financial advisor and the
Aberdeen special committee retained GMP Securities L.P. ("GMP") as its financial
advisor. 


The special committee of Aberdeen has received an opinion from GMP that the
consideration to be received by the Aberdeen shareholders is fair, from a
financial point of view, to the Aberdeen shareholders and the special committee
of Dacha has received an opinion from Cormark that the Transaction is fair from
a financial point of view to Dacha.  


The board of directors of each of Dacha and Aberdeen unanimously support the
proposed Transaction and recommend to their respective shareholders that they
vote in favour of the Transaction at their respective shareholder meetings to be
called to approve the Transaction. The reasons that the board of directors of
each company has recommended voting in favour of the Transaction will be
detailed in the aforementioned joint management information circular. 


The Business Combination Agreement includes a commitment by each of Dacha and
Aberdeen not to solicit alternative transactions to the proposed Transaction. If
a party terminates in certain circumstances, the Business Combination Agreement
provides that such party is obligated to pay to the other party a termination
payment in cash of $1 million. Each party has also been provided with certain
other rights, representations and warranties and covenants customary for a
transaction of this nature, and each party has the right to match any competing
offers made to the other party. 


Financial Advisors, Counsel and Proxy Solicitation Agent 

Dacha's financial advisor is Cormark and its counsel is Norton Rose Canada LLP.
Aberdeen's financial advisor is GMP and its counsel is Cassels Brock & Blackwell
LLP. 


Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc. ("Kingsdale") has been retained to act as
Proxy Solicitation and Information Agent in connection with the Transaction.
Aberdeen or Dacha shareholders with questions about the Transaction may contact
Kingsdale toll free at 1-866-229-8263. Outside of North America, please dial
416-872-2272, or email at contactus@kingsdaleshareholder.com. 


Related Party Transactions / Business Combination 

Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument MI 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security
Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the Transaction constitutes a
"business combination," for Aberdeen. Aberdeen is exempt from the formal
valuation requirement as the requirements of subsection 4.3(1) of MI 61-101 are
not applicable to the proposed Transaction. 


The Transaction constitutes a "related party transaction" for Dacha under MI
61-101, as certain of Dacha's directors and officers are Aberdeen shareholders,
and in connection with the Transaction, Dacha will issue common shares to such
persons in exchange for their respective Aberdeen shareholdings. Pursuant to
subsections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, Dacha is exempt from the
requirements under MI 61-101 of having to perform a formal valuation of, and
obtaining minority approval of, the Transaction, as, at the time the Transaction
was agreed to, neither the fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the
fair market value of the consideration for, the Transaction, insofar as it
involved "interested parties" (as defined in MI 61-101), exceeded 25% of Dacha's
market capitalization. Dacha is seeking shareholder approval of the Transaction
pursuant to the applicable requirements of the TSXV. 


Investor Call 

Management of Dacha and Aberdeen plan to host a conference call on Thursday,
August 16th, 2012 at 10:00 AM (EST) to discuss the Transaction. To participate
in the call please dial: 




International:                +1 416 340 8530
Toll Free North America:      877-240-9772   
Toronto Area:                 416 340 8530   



To register and listen to the webcast of the call, please go to Aberdeen's
website at www.aberdeeninternational.ca. or Dacha's website at
www.dachametals.com. A webcast play back recording will remain on both websites
after the completion of the call. 


ABOUT DACHA 

Dacha invests in physical strategic minerals, certain of which are currently
unavailable directly to investors. Dacha has acquired a strategic inventory of
these minerals with a primary initial focus on rare earth elements. Dacha's
focus is to achieve investment gains through the long-term appreciation in the
value of its physical holdings of strategic minerals, particularly rate earth
elements. Dacha intends to add value by becoming an active market participant in
strategic minerals and seeks to meet this investment objective by: (i)
assembling a portfolio of strategic minerals that it believes has the greatest
potential for capital appreciation and thereafter employing a "buy-and-hold"
investment strategy; and (ii) opportunistically trading from time-to-time to
realize gains to meet its investment objective. 


ABOUT ABERDEEN 

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-initial public offering 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 moderate local political risk. Aberdeen seeks to provide
value-added managerial and board advisory services to companies. Aberdeen's
intention is to optimize the return on its investment over an 18 to 24 month
investment time frame. 


CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 

Certain information contained in this press release, including any information
relating to the Transaction (including the anticipated benefits of the
Transaction) and Dacha's or Aberdeen's future financial or operating performance
may be deemed "forward looking". All statements in this press release, other
than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that
Dacha or Aberdeen expects to occur, are "forward-looking statements".
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are
generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "does not expect",
"plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends",
"estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and
similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may",
"could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are
subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond
Dacha or Aberdeen' ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements are
necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Dacha or
Aberdeen' actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be
materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Assumptions upon which such forward looking statements are based on
include that Dacha and Aberdeen will be able to satisfy the conditions contained
in the Business Combination Agreement, that the due diligence investigations of
each party will not identify any materially adverse facts or circumstances, that
the required approvals will be obtained from the shareholders of each of
Aberdeen and Dacha, that all third party, court, regulatory and governmental
approvals to the Transactions will be obtained including from the TSX and TSXV
and Ontario Superior Court of Justice and all other conditions to completion of
the Transaction will be satisfied or waived. Many of these assumptions are based
on factors and events that are not within the control of Dacha and Aberdeen and
there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. Such factors include,
without limitation: capital requirements; fluctuations in the international
currency markets and in rates of exchange of metal prices; changes in national
and local government legislation in Canada, China, Korea and Singapore or any
other country in which Dacha and Aberdeen currently or may in the future carry
on business; taxation; controls, regulations and political or economic
developments in the countries in which Dacha and Aberdeen does or may carry on
business; competition; loss of key employees; and additional funding
requirements; 


Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and
Dacha and Aberdeen expressly disclaim any intention or obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Although each of Dacha and Aberdeen believe that the assumptions inherent in the
forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be
put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
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