Honorary President

Antofagasta PLC
05 November 2004





                       Appointment of Mr Andronico Luksic
                    as Honorary President of Antofagasta plc


LONDON - 05 November 2004: Antofagasta plc announces that Mr Andronico Luksic is
stepping down as Chairman of Antofagasta and will be leaving the Board today, on
reaching his 78th birthday. The Board has invited Mr. Luksic to become Honorary
President of Antofagasta in recognition of his enormous contribution in creating
Antofagasta as a major mining company and a constituent of the FTSE-100 Index.
Mr  Jean-Paul Luksic, currently Deputy Chairman of Antofagasta, has been elected
Chairman with immediate effect.



                                      Ends


For further enquiries:

Philip Adeane                               [phone]
[e-mail]

Keith Irons                                 [phone] / 07885 356 639
Bankside Consultants
[e-mail]








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