Transaction in Own Shares

Anglo American PLC
17 May 2007



Anglo American PLC ("the Company")

Registered office: 20 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AN

Registered number: 3564138

Purchases of Ordinary Shares in the Company

The buyback programme of US$3 billion referred to in the annnual results
announcement of 21 February 2007 commenced on 1 May 2007. The Company announces
that on 16 May 2007 an independent company purchased 262,346 ordinary shares of
the Company at prices between £28.65 and £28.80 per share. This purchase was
made by an independent company to be funded by a wholly owned overseas
subsidiary of the Company, which wholly owned subsidiary will have the right to
nominate a transferee for such shares, and otherwise in accordance with
arrangements substantially the same as those announced by the Company on 23
March 2006.

In addition to the above, and pursuant to the authority granted by shareholders
at the Annual General Meeting held on 17 April 2007, Anglo American plc
purchased 150,000 of its ordinary shares on 16 May 2007 at prices between £28.62
and £28.86 per share. The purchased shares will all be held as treasury shares.

Anglo American plc currently holds 62,795,830 ordinary shares in treasury, and
has 1,478,861,920 ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares) and the
independent companies referred to above and in the announcement of 23 March 2006
together hold 73,233,571 ordinary shares, representing 4.95 per cent of Anglo
American plc's ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares).


Catherine Marshall
Companies Secretary
Anglo American plc
17 May 2007


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