For immediate release

Antofagasta plc

Aguas de Antofagasta - completion of agreement to acquire desalination facility

London, 6 March 2009 - Further to the announcement of 13 February 2009, Antofagasta plc announces that its subsidiary Aguas de Antofagasta S.A. ('ADASA') has completed the acquisition of the desalination plant located in the city of Antofagasta from the current owner, Desalant S.A., for a purchase price of US$52.5 million.

As previously explained, the desalination plant, for which ADASA was the sole customer, provides it with a part of its water for its distribution business. The plant will be held under the terms of the 30-year concession to distribute water in Chile's Antofagasta Region which was acquired by ADASA in 2003.  Completion of the acquisition consolidates ADASA's position in the water distribution business in the Region.