Mauro Tailings Dam

Antofagasta PLC
24 August 2007





For immediate release



5 Princes Gate                              Telephone:    + 44 20 7808 0988
London                                      Fax:          + 44 20 7808 0986
SW7 1QJ                                     [e-mail]
United Kingdom



              Minera Los Pelambres - El Mauro tailings dam project


LONDON: 24 August 2007 - Antofagasta plc announces that earlier today, its
subsidiary Minera Los Pelambres was notified by the Civil Court of Los Vilos of
a new claim made by the same individuals involved in previous litigation against
the Mauro tailings dam.  The claim was lodged with the Los Vilos Court for the
first time earlier this week and Minera Los Pelambres was neither notified of
nor represented in the hearing.  Minera Los Pelambres has also been notified by
that Court of an order to suspend work on one part of the construction of the
Mauro tailings dam.


The effect of the order is to suspend only those works which directly affect the
Pupio stream in the vicinity of the tailings dam.  These works involve less than
270 persons of approximately 4,000 persons working on the Mauro tailings dam
project, which is approximately 95 per cent complete.


Minera Los Pelambres believes that it has obtained all the necessary approvals
and permits for the construction of the Mauro tailings dam, and has had its
right to continue with construction confirmed by the courts on six previous
occasions.  It intends to seek the reversal of this order as soon as possible.
As the works affected only form a part of the overall project, Minera Los
Pelambres does not believe this action will affect the schedule for the
completion of the project by the end of this year.



Enquiries - London                           Enquiries - Santiago


Antofagasta plc                              Antofagasta Minerals S.A.
Tel: [phone]                        Tel: [phone]
www.antofagasta.co.uk                        Francisco Veloso
                                             Email: [e-mail]

Desmond O'Conor
Email: [e-mail]
                                             Media enquiries
Hussein Barma                                Bankside Consultants
Email: [e-mail]              Tel: [phone]

                                             Keith Irons
                                             Email: [e-mail]
                                             Mobile:  [phone]

                                             Oliver Winters
                                             Email : [e-mail]






                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange        CSEUEDLSWSEEA