SQM's December 2005 Press Release

SANTIAGO, Chile, Dec. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE: SQM) (Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B SQM-A) (SQM) informs that it has reached a preliminary agreement with Antofagasta Holdings PLC in order to subscribe a sale-purchase and royalty payment contract related to SQM's mining properties associated with the Antucoya project. The amount of the transaction could reach US$8 million, with an effect in net income of approximately US$1.5 million. The agreement, in principle, includes a future royalty payment to SQM to the extent that Antofagasta Holdings PLC effectively sells copper and other related products extracted from the respective properties.

SQM and Antofagasta Holdings PLC will negotiate the terms of the contract and expect to obtain a final agreement during January 2006. After the negotiations, SQM will inform if it was possible or not, to reach an agreement with Antofagasta Holdings PLC.

For a full version of this press release, go to SQM's Web site http://www.sqm.com/ .

  For further information, contact:
  Carolina Pavez
  +011-56-2425-2274
  carolina.pavez@sqm.com