We hereby inform you that the Directors of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM), in its ordinary Board of Directors meeting held on March 5, 2013, unanimously agreed to recommend to the next Annual General Shareholders Meeting to pay by a definitive dividend of 50% of the distributable net income obtained by SQM during the fiscal year 2012.
This recommendation implies maintaining the current "Dividends Policy for Fiscal Year 2012 of SQM" that was approved at the General Annual Shareholders Meeting that took place on April 26, 2012.
Therefore, and subject to the approval of SQM’s shareholders at the next Annual General Shareholders Meeting to be held on April 25th of this year, SQM will pay a definitive dividend of US$ 1.23323 per share as a consequence of the distributable net income obtained during the 2012 fiscal year. Nevertheless, the amount of US$ 0.94986 shall be deducted from the definitive dividend, which was already paid as a provisional dividend, and the balance, in the amount of US$ 0.28337 per share, shall be paid and distributed to the SQM shareholders who are registered in the respective Registry during the fifth business day prior to the day such payment will be paid.
Said amount will be paid in its equivalent in local currency, Chilean Pesos, based on the "Observed Dollar" or "USA Dollar" published in the “Diario Oficial” on April 25, 2013. This, in favor of the corresponding Shareholders personally or through duly authorized representatives, beginning at 9:00 am on Wednesday, May 8th, of this year.
We notify the above as an “Essential Fact” and pursuant to that provided for this purpose in Articles 9 and 10, second paragraph of the Law N°18,045, and in conformance with that indicated in SQM’s “Dividends Policy for Fiscal Year 2012 of SQM” and in Bulletins N°660 and N°1062 in the General Regulation N°30 of this Superintendence.
We fully remain at your disposal to clarify any additional aspect that you consider relevant in relation to the above.