Namakwa expansion project

Anglo American PLC
03 November 2005


News Release


3 November 2005




Namakwa Sands expansion project approved



Anglo American announces the approval of a $43 million (R320 million) expansion
of the Namakwa Sands heavy mineral sands and smelting facilities, located on the
West Coast of South Africa.



Namakwa Sands, part of Anglo American's Base Metals division, produces titanium
dioxide slag (for use in the pigment industry) as well as high quality zircon
and rutile products. The expansion will increase the output of zircon and rutile
products by approximately 25% through increasing the mining and concentration
plants' capacities. This will allow for the existing installed capacity of the
Mineral Separation Plant to be fully utilised. In addition, the project will
allow for hard mineralised material that is currently rejected in the process
and returned to the mine, to be treated.



An amendment to the Environmental Management Programme Report has been lodged
with the relevant authorities and approval is anticipated shortly. The project
will be commissioned in the first half of 2007 and will extend the economic life
of the operation by approximately 10 years.





For further information:



Anglo American - London
Investor Relations                           Media Relations
Charles Gordon                               Kate Aindow
Tel:  [phone]                       Tel:  [phone]




Anglo American - Johannesburg
Investor Relations                           Media Relations
Anne Dunn                                    Daniel Ngwepe
Tel:  [phone]                        Tel:  [phone]





Notes to Editors:

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 platinum group metals, gold 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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