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Anglo American plc announces increase in buyback to US $2 billion Anglo American plc (“Anglo American” or the “Company”) US$2bn Purchases of Ordinary Shares in the Company

Further to the announcements made on 26 October 2005 and 22 February 2006, Anglo American today announces that its programme of market purchases of its Ordinary Shares is increased by US$1bn to a total of US$2bn.

The increase is due to the conversion to date of the majority of the US$1.1bn convertible bonds issued in April 2002 into Ordinary Shares and the programme will commence immediately.

Purchases will be made either by the Company pursuant to the authority of shareholders granted at the AGM of the Company in April 2005 (or any renewal of such authority granted at the AGM of the Company to be held in April 2006) or 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.

Purchases of shares under the programme will result in an enhancement of the Company's earnings per share whilst contributing to the efficient management of the Anglo American group's capital.

The ordinary share capital of the independent company is owned by a charitable trust and a majority of the independent company's directors are independent of the Anglo American group. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Company will, under the arrangements entered into with the independent company, make purchases of Anglo American shares on behalf of the independent company within the limits of the programme and at prices per share which will be no more than the higher of the price of the last independent trade in such shares and the highest current independent bid for such shares. Out of cash dividends received by the independent company on the Anglo American shares held by it, the charitable trust shareholder in the independent company will be entitled to receive approximately 10 per cent; the balance will be distributed to the Anglo American group. During the term of the arrangement, the independent company has agreed that it will not exercise voting rights in respect of shares in the Company held by it. The shares purchased by the independent company will be treated in the accounts of Anglo American as treasury shares. Purchases of Anglo American shares by the independent company under these arrangements will be announced in keeping with existing regulations governing UK corporate share repurchases.

Notes to Editors:

Anglo American plc is one of the world's largest mining and natural resource groups. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it is a global leader in platinum group metals, gold and diamonds, with significant interests in coal, base and ferrous metals, industrial minerals and paper and packaging. The group is geographically diverse, with operations in Africa, Europe, South and North America, Australia and Asia. (www.angloamerican.co.uk)

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