Offer to Buy Minorities in Mantos Blancos

Anglo American PLC
30 March 2000


           Anglo American offers to buy minorities in Mantos Blancos

Anglo  American  plc ('Anglo American') today announces that  it  has  made  a
Tender Offer ('the offer') to acquire the outstanding 22.65% of the shares  it
does  not  already control in Empresa Minera de Mantos Blancos  S.A.  ('Mantos
Blancos'), a Chilean copper company listed on the Santiago Stock Market, at  a
price  of  Ch$ 1.300 per share.  The offer represents a premium of 88  %  over
last  year's  average  price of Ch$ 693 per share and  a  44  %  premium  over
yesterday's closing price of Ch$ 900.

The  offer  is conditional on achieving a minimum level of acceptances  during
the  offer  period  of 10.65% of the issued share capital (approximately  16.8
million shares) which, together with the shares currently controlled will take
Anglo American's holding to over 88%. The offer period runs from 3 April  2000
to 24 April 2000.

Anglo American is being advised by Dresdner Kleinwort Benson South Andes,  and
IM Trust are acting as the stockbrokers in Santiago.

Provided  the necessary level of acceptances are received, it is  intended  to
proceed  with  all  the legal formalities to de-list Mantos Blancos  from  the
Santiago Stock Exchange.

James  Campbell, chairman of Anglo Base Metals and an Anglo American executive
director said:  'Anglo American's Board believes that the listing is no longer
beneficial to Mantos Blancos' shareholders, and is therefore making this offer
to  buy out all the minorities. The offer has been structured in the spirit of
the  soon to be enacted new Public Offer law in Chile, and in compliance  with
international  best practice allowing for transparency and fair treatment  for
all  shareholders.  This  is  also consistent  with  Anglo  American's  stated
intention of simplifying its structure and represents a further investment  of
close  to U$92 million in copper and emphasises the Group's commitment to  the
industry and to Chile.'

Mantos   Blancos  has  two  open  cast  mines  in  northern  Chile,  producing
approximately  150,000 tonnes of copper per annum and has a controlling  stake
in Quellaveco, a large undeveloped copper project in Peru.

Anglo  American  is  a  leading mining and natural resources  company  with  a
primary  listing  in  London  and  secondary  listings  in  Johannesburg   and
Switzerland.


Contacts:

London:   Mike Gordon
Executive Vice President
Anglo Base Metals
Phone: [phone]

Johannesburg:
Anne Dunn
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
Phone: 27 - 11638 4730


Santiago: Extend Comunicaciones
Contact name: Andre Menanteau
Phone: 562 - 206 6028