Purchase of Shares

Anglo American PLC
23 May 2006

Anglo American plc

(the "Company")

Purchases of shares in Anglo American plc

Further to the announcement of 23 March 2006 (a copy of which is available on
the Company's website), Anglo American plc purchased 274,313 of its ordinary
shares on 22 May 2006 at prices between £19.37 and £19.77 per share. The
purchased shares will all be held as treasury shares.

Anglo American plc also announces that on 22 May 2006 the independent company
referred to in the announcement of 23 March 2006 purchased 530,000 ordinary
shares of Anglo American plc at prices equivalent to between £19.18 and £19.85
per share.

Following the above transactions, Anglo American plc holds 23,813,015 ordinary
shares in treasury, and has 1,504,252,674 ordinary shares in issue (excluding
treasury shares) and the independent company holds 4,374,549 ordinary shares,
representing 0.29 per cent of Anglo American plc's ordinary shares in issue
(excluding treasury shares).


Nick Jordan
Company Secretary

23 May 2006

END.



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