2008-09-03 23:51:01 -

www.vaneck.com - MacMillan Communications Mike MacMillan/Chris Sullivan 212-473-4442 mike@macmillancom.com New York-based asset manager Van Eck Global today launched the Market Vectors-RVE Hard Assets Producers exchange-traded fund (HAP) on the American Stock Exchange(R)--the first and only global hard assets ETF.

HAP seeks to replicate, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of The Rogers(TM)-Van Eck Hard Assets Producers Index (RVEI), which many view as the definitive global benchmark for commodity equities. Jim Rogers, the well-known international investor and a co-founder of the Quantum Fund, is chairman of the RVE Index Committee, and was actively involved in the construction of the index in partnership with S-Network Global Indexes, LLC.

HAP provides "one-stop shopping" for the global hard assets

industry because its underlying index is comprehensive in construction, covering 321 companies in 40 countries and 6 sectors at end-August. The index includes the world's largest and most prominent publicly traded companies that are engaged in the production and distribution of hard assets and related products and services, and captures more than 90% of the industry's global stock market capitalization. The sectors covered include energy, agriculture, base metals, precious metals, forest products and water and renewable energy (solar and wind). RVEI is the first commodities equities index to include water and renewable energy--increasingly important natural resources--and utilizes consumption-based weights that afford balanced exposure among the 6 sectors.

The index is pure-play in its focus, including only those companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from the applicable commodity sector. The sole exception is water, where constituents must generate at least 25% of their revenues from that industry.

"The Rogers(TM)-Van Eck Hard Assets Producers Index is designed to provide a reliable, comprehensive benchmark for measuring the performance of the global hard assets industry, which is central to the world economy since it accounts for approximately 14% of global GDP," said Rogers.

"The Market Vectors-RVE Hard Assets Producers ETF is the first to provide comprehensive exposure to the dynamics of the global commodities business in a single fund," said Jan van Eck, Principal at Van Eck Global. "We think investors will find it attractive as a way to participate in this huge and growing segment of the market."

Founded in 1955, Van Eck Global was among the first U.S. money managers helping investors achieve greater diversification through global investing. The company managed $11.8 billion in assets for individuals, insurers and institutional investors as of July 31, 2008. HAP is the sixteenth ETF introduced under Van Eck's Market Vectors brand, which includes hard assets, international, specialty and municipal bond ETFs. Market Vectors ETFs had a total of $6.0 billion in assets under management as of July 31, 2008.

About Jim Rogers

Jim Rogers is the well-known international investor, financial author and commentator. He was a co-founder of the Quantum Fund and served as a professor of finance at the Columbia University School of Business.

"Jim Rogers," "James Beeland Rogers, Jr.," and "Rogers," are trademarks, service marks and/or registered trademarks of Beeland Interests, Inc., which is owned and controlled by James Beeland Rogers, Jr., and are used subject to license. The personal names and likeness of Jim Rogers/James Beeland Rogers, Jr. are owned and licensed by James Beeland Rogers, Jr.

HAP is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Beeland Interests or James Beeland Rogers, Jr. Neither Beeland Interests nor James Beeland Rogers, Jr. makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, nor accepts any responsibility, regarding the accuracy or completeness of this material, or the advisability of investing in securities or commodities generally, or in HAP or in futures particularly.

BEELAND INTERESTS AND ITS AFFILIATES SHALL NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS, AND MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY OWNERS OF THE SHARES OF HAP, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF RVEI. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL BEELAND INTERESTS OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.

About The Rogers(TM)-Van Eck Hard Assets Producers Index (RVEI)

RVEI is a rules-based index intended to give investors a means of tracking the overall performance of a global universe of listed companies engaged in the production and distribution of hard assets and related products and services. The index was developed in concert with commodities investor Jim Rogers and is endorsed by Van Eck Global. Sector weights are set annually based on estimates of global hard assets consumption, and stock weights within sectors are based on their market capitalization, float-adjusted and modified to conform to various asset diversification requirements, which are applied in conjunction with the scheduled quarterly adjustments to the index. Index values are calculated on both a price-only and total-return basis.

About S-Network Global Indexes, LLC

S-Network Global Indexes, LLC is a publisher and developer of proprietary and custom indexes. Since its founding in 1997, S-Network has worked with many of the leading financial services firms in the world on index development, indexation and index-based products, including exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded notes. S-Network currently publishes over twenty benchmark indexes that are licensed to asset managers and investment banks throughout the world. RVEI is part of the RVE Family of Indexes published by S-Network, which includes five additional related indexes: The RVE Composite Index (RVEC), The RVE Liquid Index (RVEXL), The RVE Energy Producers Index (RVEE), The RVE Agricultural Producers Index (RVEA) and The RVE Metals Producers Index (RVEM).

The Rogers(TM)-Van Eck Hard Assets Producers Index (RVEI) has been licensed by Van Eck Associates Corporation from S-Network Global Indexes, LLC for use in connection with Market Vectors-RVE Hard Assets Producers ETF (HAP). HAP is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S-Network Global Indexes, LLC, which makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in HAP.

About the American Stock Exchange(R)

The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R)) offers trading across a full range of equities, options and exchange traded funds (ETFs), including structured products and HOLDRS(SM). In addition to its role as a national equities market, the Amex is the pioneer of the ETF, responsible for bringing the first domestic product to market in 1993. Leading the industry in ETF listings, the Amex listed 416 ETFs as of end-August, 2008. The Amex is also one of the largest options exchanges in the U.S., trading options on broad-based and sector indexes as well as domestic and foreign stocks.

About Van Eck Global

Founded in 1955, Van Eck Associates Corporation was among the first U.S. money managers helping investors achieve greater diversification through global investing. Today the firm continues the 50+ year tradition by offering global investment choices in hard assets, emerging markets, precious metals including gold, and other specialized asset classes.

Market Vectors exchange-traded products have been offered by Van Eck Global since 2006 when the firm launched the nation's first gold mining ETF. Today, Market Vectors ETFs and ETNs span several asset classes, including equities, municipal bonds and currency markets.

Van Eck Global also offers mutual funds, insurance trust funds, separate accounts and alternative investments. Designed for investors seeking innovative choices for portfolio diversification, Van Eck Global's investment products are often categorized in asset classes having returns with low correlations to those of more traditional U.S. equity and fixed income investments.

VAN ECK AND ITS AFFILIATES SHALL NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS, AND MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY OWNERS OF HAP, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF RVEI. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL VAN ECK OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.

HAP is subject to various risks associated with making investments in companies engaged in producing and distributing hard assets and related products and services, such as commodity price volatility, changes in government policies/regulations and world political and economic developments. Additional risks include competitive pressures, technological advances and/or obsolescence, the depletion of resources, labor relations issues, risks associated with foreign investments, a high degree of volatility and the potential of significant loss.

Fund shares are not individually redeemable and will be issued and redeemed at their NAV only through certain authorized broker-dealers in large, specified blocks of shares called "creation units" and otherwise can be bought and sold only through exchange trading. Creation units are issued and redeemed principally in kind. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market.

Investors may call 1.888.MKT.VCTR or visit www.vaneck.com/HAPetf for a free prospectus. They should consider the investment objective, risks, and charges and expenses of Market Vectors-RVE Hard Assets Producers ETF carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about HAP. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Please call 1.888.MKT.VCTR or visit www.vaneck.com/HAPetf for the most recent month-end performance of Market Vectors-RVE Hard Assets Producers ETF. This information will be available no later than seven business days after the most recent month end. Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, 99 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016

HAP tracks The Rogers(TM)-Van Eck Hard Assets Producers Index;
legendary investor Jim Rogers chairs index committee