FQM.L Regulatory News (FQM)

14 Mar 2006 07:03

First Quantum Minerals Ld14 March 2006 NEWS RELEASE 06-07 March 13, 2006 www.first-quantum.com FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS TO PAY DIVIDEND OF CDN $0.265 PER SHARE First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (TSX Symbol "FM", LSE Symbol "FQM"), as previouslyannounced March 9, 2006 (NR 06-06), will pay a final dividend of Cdn $0.265 pershare in respect of the year ended December 31, 2005. The dividend will be paidon May 10, 2006 to shareholders of record on April 19, 2006. The final dividend of Cdn $0.265, together with the interim dividend of Cdn$0.02 totaling Cdn $0.285, represents 10% of after tax profits for the 2005financial year. Philip Pascall, Chairman and CEO commented, "Our goal is to set a dividend levelwhich is compatible with our objectives of maintaining excellent returns to ourshareholders, as well as strong growth through development of new and existingmines. We are delighted with our strong earnings performance and successfulproject commissioning in 2005 and the equally strong outlook for 2006.Accordingly, we are pleased to return in the order of 10% of our 2005 after taxprofit to our shareholders at the same time that we are forging ahead with ourdevelopment projects." On Behalf of the Board of Directors 12g3-2b-82-4461of First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Listed in Standard and Poor's"G. Clive Newall" Sedar Profile #00006237G. Clive NewallPresident For further information visit our web site at www.first-quantum.com North American contact: Geoff Chater or Bill Iversen 8th Floor, 543 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 1X8 Tel: (604) 688-6577 Fax: (604) 688-3818 Toll Free: 1 (888) 688-6577 E-Mail: info@first-quantum.com United Kingdom contact: Clive Newall, President1st Floor, Mill House Mill Bay Lane Horsham West Sussex RH12 1TQ United Kingdom Tel: +44 140 327 3484 Fax: +44 140 327 3494 E-Mail: clive.newall@first-quantum.com. or Carina Corbett, 4C-Burvale, Tel: + 44 20 7907 4761 The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information contained in this news release constitutes "forward-lookingstatements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Actof 1995 and forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securitieslegislation. Such forward-looking statements or information, including but notlimited to those with respect to the prices of gold, copper, cobalt andsulphuric acid, estimated future production, estimated costs of futureproduction, the Company's hedging policy and permitting time lines, involveknown and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause theactual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materiallydifferent from any future results, performance or achievements expressed orimplied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such factorsinclude, among others, the actual prices of copper, gold, cobalt and sulphuricacid, the factual results of current exploration, development and miningactivities, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, aswell as those factors disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time totime with the Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario Securities Commissions, theAutorite des marches financiers in Quebec, the United States Securities andExchange Commission and the Alternative Investment Market operated by the LondonStock Exchange. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange