Project Update

12 Dec 2006 17:11

Antofagasta PLC12 December 2006 Antofagasta plc Minera Los Pelambres - El Mauro tailings dam project LONDON: 12 December, 2006 - Antofagasta plc ("Antofagasta") reports that onMonday 11 December, the Court of Appeals of Santiago rejected a request byclaimants in the Pupio Valley that work on the Mauro tailings dam should ceaseimmediately following the Court's earlier decision. The Mauro tailings dam is adevelopment project of Antofagasta's 60%-owned subsidiary, Minera Los Pelambres("Los Pelambres"). Antofagasta previously reported that on 3 November the Court of Appeals hadupheld a petition by these claimants against the Chilean water authority, theDireccion General de Aguas, in relation to the award of certain permits for theconstruction of the Mauro tailings dam. Los Pelambres, as a party affected bythe decision, and the Direccion General de Aguas have appealed to the ChileanSupreme Court. Los Pelambres continues to believe that it has received all the necessarytechnical and legal permits and, following the decision yesterday, will continuewith the planned development of the project. END Enquiries - London Antofagasta plc www.antofagasta.co.uk Tel: +44 20 7808 0988 Desmond O'ConorEmail: doconor@antofagasta.co.uk Hussein BarmaEmail: hbarma@antofagasta.co.uk Enquiries - Santiago Antofagasta Minerals S.A.Tel: +562 377 5000 Francisco VelosoEmail:fveloso@aminerals.cl Issued by Bankside Consultants Tel: +44 20 7367 8873Keith Irons Email: keith@bankside.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange