FQM.L Regulatory News (FQM)

14 Mar 2007 08:01

First Quantum Minerals Ld14 March 2007 NEWS RELEASE 07-02 March 14, 2007 www.first-quantum.com FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS TO PAY DIVIDEND OF CDN $0.625 PER SHARE First Quantum Minerals Ltd. ("First Quantum" or the "Company", TSX Symbol "FM",LSE Symbol "FQM") will pay a final dividend of Cdn $0.625 per share in respectof the financial year ended December 31, 2006. The dividend will be paid on May10, 2007 to shareholders of record on April 19, 2007. The final dividend of Cdn $0.625, together with the interim dividend of Cdn$0.095, totaling Cdn $0.72, represents 10% of the after tax profits of theCompany for the 2006 financial year. Philip Pascall, Chairman and CEO commented, "Our goal is to pay dividends at alevel which is compatible with our objectives of maintaining excellent returnsto our shareholders, as well as strong growth through development of new andexisting mines. We are delighted with the strong earnings performance andsuccessful project commissioning in 2006 and the equally strong outlook for2007. Accordingly, we are pleased to be able to return 10% of 2006 after taxprofit to our shareholders at the same time that we continue to investsignificant capital into our development projects." On Behalf of the Board of Directors 12g3-2b-82-4461of First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Listed in Standard & Poor'sG. Clive Newall Sedar Profile #00006237President 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@fqml.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@fqml.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 "forward-looking statements"within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 andforward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation.Such forward-looking statements or information, including but not limited tothose with respect to the prices of gold, copper, cobalt and sulphuric acid,estimated future production, estimated costs of future production, the Company'shedging policy and permitting time lines, involve known and unknown risks,uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performanceor achievements of the Company to be materially different from any futureresults, performance or achievements expressed or implied by suchforward-looking statements or information. Such factors include, among others,the actual prices of copper, gold, cobalt and sulphuric acid, the factualresults of current exploration, development and mining activities, changes inproject parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factorsdisclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the Alberta,British Columbia, and Ontario Securities Commissions, the Autorite des marchesfinanciers in Quebec, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission andthe Alternative Investment Market operated by the London Stock Exchange. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange