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North Chile Division announces establishment of technology group in Antofagasta (PDF)

Antofagasta, 23 November 2007

Xstrata Copper's North Chile Division has announced the establishment of a Technology Development group in the city of Antofagasta to support Xstrata Copper's operations and growth strategy in South America.

Xstrata Technology Services, Xstrata’s wholly-owned technology business, is already a world leader in processing technologies. The new Xstrata Copper technology platform will complement and draw upon the technological expertise provided by Xstrata Technology, based in Brisbane, Australia and Xstrata Process Support, based in Sudbury, Canada.

"The primary focus for this group will be in the areas of leaching where we believe we have a competitive advantage compared to our peers," said North Chile Division Chief Operating Officer (COO), Jon Evans.

In particular, the group will focus on adding value to Xstrata Copper’s significant pipeline of brownfield and greenfield expansion projects in the region, for example at Lomas Bayas mine, Altonorte metallurgical facility, and the Collahuasi joint venture in Chile. The phase four expansion at Altonorte and the leaching of molybdenum concentrates, ESP dust and oxide and sulphide ores are among the Technology Development group’s initial areas of investigation.

Marcelo Jo has been appointed General Manager Technology Development to lead a team of initially eight people. Formerly the General Manager of Xstrata Copper's Lomas Bayas mining operation, Marcelo has also been appointed to the Collahuasi Executive Committee and will play a major role in supporting Collahuasi's expansion projects.

"I am really pleased to appoint Marcelo in this critical role. Marcelo brings with him the vast experience gained from operating the Lomas Bayas copper mine, one of the world's lowest grade leaching operations. This new group will play a vital role in the continued development of specialist technology that is fundamental to our growth ambitions in the copper industry," said Evans.

The establishment of a centre of technical excellence in Antofagasta contributes to Xstrata Copper's objective of participating in the long-term sustainability of the regions where it has operations. Recruitment is underway of Chilean professionals to join Marcelo and the team will play an important role in liaising and creating networks with local industry groups and universities to consolidate the benefits of the technology platform to the region.

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ABOUT NORTH CHILE DIVISION

Xstrata Copper's North Chile Division is based out of the city of Antofagasta and manages the nearby Altonorte custom smelter and the Lomas Bayas mining operation, 120 kilometres east of the city of Antofagasta. It also administers Xstrata Copper's 44% share in the Collahuasi mine in northern Chile's Region I.

ABOUT XSTRATA COPPER

Headquartered in Brisbane, Xstrata Copper is one of the commodity business units within the major global diversified mining group Xstrata plc. Its operations and projects span eight countries: Australia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Canada, the USA, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Its operations are administered by five separate divisions, based close to the mining operations, namely the North Queensland, Alumbrera, North Chile, Southern Peru and Canada divisions. It also has a recycling business (Xstrata Recycling) with plants in the United States and offices in Canada and Asia.

Xstrata Copper is the fourth largest global copper producer with annual managed production of over one million tonnes.

ABOUT XSTRATA PLC

Xstrata is a global diversified mining group, listed on the London and Swiss Stock Exchanges, with its headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. Xstrata’s businesses maintain a meaningful position in seven major international commodity markets: copper, coking coal, thermal coal, ferrochrome, nickel, vanadium and zinc, with additional exposures to platinum group metals, gold, cobalt, lead and silver, recycling facilities and a suite of global technology products, many of which are industry leaders. The Group's operations and projects span 18 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, New Caledonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, the USA and the UK. Xstrata employs approximately 50,000 people, including contractors.

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