Disposal

Anglo American PLC
17 February 2005


NEWS RELEASE
               Release Time    IMMEDIATE
               Date            17 February 2005
               Number          07/05

                            SALE OF SAMANCOR CHROME

BHP Billiton and Anglo American plc ("Anglo American") announced today that they
have reached agreement for the sale of Samancor Chrome to the Kermas Group for
an enterprise value of US$469 million.  The sale will be effective 1 April 2005,
subject to obtaining regulatory approvals.

The Kermas Group is a producer of and trader in ferrochrome and chrome
chemicals, with activities in Russia, Germany and Turkey.

The Wonderkop joint venture and Palmiet Ferrochrome plant are excluded from this
transaction.  Samancor Chrome operates entirely in South Africa, and includes
Eastern Chrome Mines in Mpumalanga and Western Chrome Mines in Northwest
Provinces.  It also has alloy plants in Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces.  It
markets product across the globe and in total employs some 5 500 people.

Samancor Chrome is a wholly owned subsidiary of Samancor, owned 60% by BHP
Billiton, also the operator and 40% by Anglo American.


For further information contact:

BHP Billiton:

http://www.bhpbilliton.com


  Australia                             United Kingdom
  Jane Belcher, Investor Relations      Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations
  Tel: [phone]                  Tel: [phone]
  Mobile: [phone]               email: [e-mail]
  email: [e-mail] 

  Tania Price, Media Relations          Ariane Gentil, Media Relations
  Tel: [phone]                  Tel: [phone]
  Mobile: [phone]               Mobile: [phone]
  email: [e-mail]    email: [e-mail]

  United States                         South Africa
                                                       
  Francis McAllister, 
  Investor Relations                    Michael Campbell, Investor & 
  Tel: [phone]                  Media Relations
  Mobile: [phone]               Tel: [phone]  
  email:                                Mobile: [phone]
  [e-mail]  email: 
                                        [e-mail]


Anglo American:

United Kingdom
Charlie Gordon, Investor Relations
Tel: [phone]

Kate Aindow, Media Relations
Tel: [phone]

South Africa
Anne Dunn, Investor Relations
Tel: [phone]

Marion Dixon, Media Relations
Tel: [phone]


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