Increase in Buyback

Anglo American PLC
23 March 2006


News Release


23 March 2006


       Anglo American plc announces increase in buyback to US $2 billion

             Anglo American plc ("Anglo American" or the "Company")

               US$2bn Purchases of Ordinary Shares in the Company



Further to the announcements made on 26 October 2005 and 22 February 2006, Anglo
American today announces that its programme of market purchases of its Ordinary
Shares is increased by US$1bn to a total of US$2bn.

The increase is due to the conversion to date of the majority of the US$1.1bn
convertible bonds issued in April 2002 into Ordinary Shares and the programme
will commence immediately.

Purchases will be made either by the Company pursuant to the authority of
shareholders granted at the AGM of the Company in April 2005 (or any renewal of
such authority granted at the AGM of the Company to be held in April 2006) or 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.

Purchases of shares under the programme will result in an enhancement of the
Company's earnings per share whilst contributing to the efficient management of
the Anglo American group's capital.

The ordinary share capital of the independent company is owned by a charitable
trust and a majority of the independent company's directors are independent of
the Anglo American group. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Company will, under
the arrangements entered into with the independent company, make purchases of
Anglo American shares on behalf of the independent company within the limits of
the programme and at prices per share which will be no more than the higher of
the price of the last independent trade in such shares and the highest current
independent bid for such shares. Out of cash dividends received by the
independent company on the Anglo American shares held by it, the charitable
trust shareholder in the independent company will be entitled to receive
approximately 10 per cent; the balance will be distributed to the Anglo American
group. During the term of the arrangement, the independent company has agreed
that it will not exercise voting rights in respect of shares in the Company held
by it. The shares purchased by the independent company will be treated in the
accounts of Anglo American as treasury shares. Purchases of Anglo American
shares by the independent company under these arrangements will be announced in
keeping with existing regulations governing UK corporate share repurchases.



For further information:

Anglo American

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Nick von Schirnding
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Charles Gordon
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Anne Dunn
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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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