Collahuasi Rosario Project

Anglo American PLC
17 June 2004



News Release


17 June 2004


                    Collahuasi Rosario Project commissioned



Anglo American plc ("Anglo American") is pleased to announce that the
commissioning of the US$654 million Collahuasi Rosario Project commenced in late
April, some five weeks ahead of schedule and under budget. The project, which
will enable Collahuasi to maintain production of copper in concentrate at a long
term average rate of 400,000 tonnes per annum, comprised:



-  the equipping of and prestripping of 114 million tonnes of overburden
   so as to access the Rosario orebody;



-  the construction of a 9 km long series of high speed ore belt
   conveyors from the Rosario mine to the plant at Ujina;



-  increasing the design capacity of the concentrator plant from 60,000
   tonnes per day to 110,000 tonnes per day;



-  increasing the capacity of the associated infrastructure, including
   power supply tailings, concentrate pipeline and port concentrate storage, the
   latter still to be completed.



The concentrator construction period was 20 months and over 5,000 contractors
were employed on site during the peak construction period.



Ramping up of production through the new milling circuit has proceeded ahead of
schedule and thoughput rates of above the design capacity of 110,000 tonnes per
day have already been recorded. The Rosario mine is now in production and the
high capacity conveyor system is fully operational.



Commenting on the successful commissioning of the project Anglo American CEO,
Tony Trahar said: "The Collahuasi project team and the contractors are to be
congratulated on the achievement of this significant milestone. The brownfields
Rosario Project is a further demonstration of our ability and determination,
together with that of our partners, to add value at this world class orebody.
The fact that the project is coming on stream in a favourable copper price
environment will further enhance shareholder returns."



For further information:



Anglo American - London

Investor Relations                     Media Relations
Nick von Schirnding                    Kate Aindow
Tel:  [phone]                 Tel:  [phone]


Anglo American - Johannesburg
Investor Relations                     Media Relations
Anne Dunn                              Marion Dixon
Tel:  [phone]                  Tel:  [phone]


Notes to Editors:



Collahuasi is a joint venture between Anglo American (44%), Falconbridge (44%)
and a Japanese consortium, lead by Mitsui and Co. Ltd. (12%)



Anglo American plc is one of the world's largest mining and natural resource
groups. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it is a global
leader in gold, platinum group metals and diamonds, with significant interests
in coal, base and ferrous metals, industrial minerals and paper and packaging.
The group is geographically diverse, with operations in Africa, Europe, South
and North America, Australia and Asia. (www.angloamerican.co.uk).






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