UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
6-K
REPORT
OF
FOREIGN ISSUER
PURSUANT
TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16
OF
THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Includes
a press release issued on March 18, 2008, announcing the date of SQM’s 2008
annual shareholders meeting and the dividend payment proposed by the Company’s
Board of Directors. This press release was filed before the Superintendencia
de
Valores y Seguros de Chile as an essential event on March 18, 2008.
SOCIEDAD
QUIMICA Y MINERA DE CHILE S.A.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
CHEMICAL
AND MINING COMPANY OF CHILE INC.
(Translation
of registrant's name into English)
El
Trovador 4285, Santiago, Chile (562) 425-2000
(Address
and phone number of principal executive offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under
cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
20-F x Form
40-F
o
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained
in
this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant
to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes o No
x
If
"Yes"
is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82_________
For
Immediate Release
SQM
ANNOUNCES DATE OF 2008 ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS
MEETING
AND DIVIDEND PROPOSAL
Santiago,
Chile, March 18, 2008.- Sociedad
Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM, SQMA; Santiago Stock Exchange:
SQM-B, SQM-A) announced today that its Board of Directors has agreed to propose
a gross final dividend of US$4.4459 per ADR (US$0.44459 per ordinary share)
at
its 2008 annual shareholders meeting. The Company also announced that its
annual
shareholders meeting will be held in Santiago, Chile, on April 30,
2008.
In
accordance with SQM’s dividend distribution policy, during its session held
today, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to propose the payment of
a
final dividend equivalent to 65% of the Company’s distributable net income for
the year 2007. This proposal is subject to the approval of shareholders at
the
Company’s 2008 annual meeting, which will be held on April 30, 2008. If
approved, the dividend will be paid to shareholders of record on the fifth
business day prior to the payment date, in the case of Chilean shareholders.
The
Company’s depositary bank, the Bank of New York Mellon, will inform ADR holders
of the record date applicable to them. The amount payable to local shareholders
will be the Chilean peso equivalent of US$0.44459 per share, in accordance
with
the “Observed Exchange Rate” as published in the Official Gazette on April 30,
2008. The payment date of this dividend will be Monday, May 12, 2008.
SQM
is an
integrated producer and distributor of specialty plant nutrients, iodine
and
lithium. Its products are based on the development of high quality natural
resources that allow the Company to be leader in costs, supported by a
specialized international network with sales in over 100 countries. SQM’s
development strategy aims to maintain and strengthen the Company’s world
leadership in its three core businesses: Specialty Plant Nutrition, Iodine
and
Lithium.
|
For
further information, contact:
|
Patricio
Vargas, 56-2-4252274 / patricio.vargas@sqm.com
|
| |
Carolyn
McKenzie, 56-2-4252074 / carolyn.mckenzie@sqm.com
|
Statements
in this press release concerning the Company’s business outlook, future economic
performance, anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses, or other financial
items, anticipated cost synergies and product or service line growth, together
with other statements that are not historical facts, are “forward-looking
statements” as that term is defined under Federal Securities Laws.
Any
forward-looking statements are estimates, reflecting the best judgment of
SQM
based on currently available information and involve a number of risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those stated in such statements. Risks, uncertainties, and
factors that could affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements,
are
identified in the public filing made with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, and forward-looking statements should be considered in light
of
those factors.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
SOCIEDAD
QUIMICA Y MINERA DE CHILE S.A.
Conf:
/s/
Ricardo Ramos R.
Ricardo
Ramos R.
Chief
Financial Officer
Date:
March
19,
2008