SQM REPORTS EARNINGS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2010

Santiago, Chile, August 31, 2010.- Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A) reported today earnings for the first half of 20101 of US$181.5 million (US$0.69 per ADR), an increase of 4.2% with respect to the same period of 2009, when earnings totaled US$174.2 million (US$0.66 per ADR). Gross Margin reached US$303.2 million (35.0% of revenues), 9.7% higher than the US$276.4 million (41.3% of revenues) recorded during the first half of 2009. Revenues totaled US$865.3 million for the first six months, representing an increase of 29.5% over the US$668.4 million reported in the same period of 2009.

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