Appointment of CEO

Antofagasta PLC
01 December 2004


                     APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

                           ANTOFAGASTA MINERALS S.A.

LONDON: 1 December 2004 - Further to its announcement on 5 November 2004
relating to the appointment of Mr. Jean-Paul Luksic as Chairman, Antofagasta plc
today announces the appointment of Mr. Marcelo Awad, previously Senior
Commercial Vice-President of Antofagasta Minerals S.A. (AMSA), the Group's
mining division, as Chief Executive Officer of AMSA.  This position was
previously held by Jean-Paul Luksic.


Note to editors:

Antofagasta plc is a Chilean Mining Group listed on the London Stock Exchange
and a constituent of the FTSE100.  AMSA is the main mining subsidiary of
Antofagasta plc.


The Group expects copper production to exceed 490,000 tonnes in 2004.

Mr. Awad was a Director of the London Metal Exchange until 1993 and Managing
Director of Codelco, London, between 1990 and 1994.  He then returned to Chile
as Executive Vice-President of Copper Trading and Futures for the Codelco Group
of companies before joining AMSA in 1996.


Ends

Enquiries:


Philip Adeane                                  Desmond R. O'Conor
[e-mail]            [e-mail]
Tel: [phone]                       Tel: [phone]


Alejandro Rivera
[e-mail]
Tel: [phone]



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