Transaction in Own Shares

Anglo American PLC
22 January 2007



                       Anglo American plc (the "Company")
                  Purchases of Ordinary Shares in the Company

Following the increase in the buyback programme of US$4 billion referred to in
the interim results announcement of Friday 4 August 2006, the Company announces
that on 19 January 2007 an independent company purchased 437,603 ordinary shares
of the Company at prices between £22.95 and £23.26 per share. This purchase was
made by an independent company to be funded by a wholly owned overseas
subsidiary of the Company, which wholly owned subsidiary will have the right to
nominate a transferee for such shares, and otherwise in accordance with
arrangements substantially the same as those announced by the Company on 23
March 2006.

In addition to the above, and pursuant to the authority granted by shareholders
at the Annual General Meeting held on 25 April 2006, Anglo American plc
purchased 250,753 of its ordinary shares on 19 January 2007 at prices between
£23.08 and £23.38 per share. The purchased shares will all be held as treasury
shares.

Anglo American plc currently holds 50,207,642 ordinary shares in treasury, and
has 1,491,448,039 ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares) and the
independent companies referred to above and in the announcement of 23 March 2006
together hold 50,276,481 ordinary shares, representing 3.37 per cent of Anglo
American plc's ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares).

This announcement also satisfies, when necessary, the Company's obligation under
sections 198 - 212 of the Companies Act 1985.

Catherine Marshall
Company Secretarial Assistant
Anglo American plc
22 January 2007





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