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
the free translation of a manual for the handling of information of interest
to
the financial markets filed before the Superintendence of Securities and
Insurance (Superintendencia de Valores y Seguros) in Chile, on May 30,
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.
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.
If
"Yes"
is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82_________
Manual
for the Handling of Information of Interest to the Financial
Markets
Sociedad
Química y Minera de Chile S.A.
Free
translation of a document filed before the Superintendencia de Valores y Seguros
de Chile
| (a) |
This
“Manual for the Handling of Information of Information of Interest
to the
Financial Markets” (herein referred to as the “Manual”) has been prepared
by Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (“SQM” or “the Company”) in
accordance with General Standard No. 211, dated January 15, 2008,
of the
Superintendencia de Valores y Seguros de Chile (Superintendence of
Securities and Insurance of Chile,
“SVS”).
|
| (b) |
This
Manual describes the internal policies and standards established
by SQM in
order to determine the information that the Company will make available
to
investors and other relevant persons. Likewise, the Manual describes
the
mechanisms that SQM will use in order to disseminate such information.
|
| (c) |
A
hard copy of the Manual is available at SQM’s offices, at El Trovador
4285, 6th
floor, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile, and an electronic copy is available
on
the Company’s Web site, www.sqm.com. A copy of the Manual has also been
sent to the SVS.
|
| II. |
Company
entity or persons in charge of establishing and enforcing the provisions
of the Manual.
|
SQM’s
“Disclosure Committee” is responsible for preparing this Manual. This committee
is formed by the following members of SQM’s Management:
|
Mr.
Patricio Contesse González
|
-Chief
Executive Officer-
|
|
Mr.
Patricio de Solminihac Tampier
|
-Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer-
|
|
Mr.
Ricardo Ramos Rodríguez
|
-Chief
Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Business
Development-
|
|
Mr.
Matías Astaburuaga Suárez
|
-General
Counsel-
|
|
Mr.
Eugenio Ponce Lerou
|
-Senior
Commercial Vice President-
|
SQM’s
“Disclosure Committee” oversees compliance with the rules contained in this
Manual, and it determines which information SQM should provide to its
shareholders and to the regulatory authorities, stock exchanges, investors
and
other pertinent individuals.
| III. |
Disclosure
of share transactions and holdings.
|
SQM
applies the standards issued by the SVS in its Circular No. 585, dated January
29, 1986, regarding reporting of the holding and transaction of shares issued
by
SQM and its related companies by majority shareholders, Board members, officers,
and other pertinent individuals.
Essentially,
in accordance with the aforementioned standard, SQM files monthly reports before
the SVS, detailing share transactions carried out by majority shareholders,
Board members, officers and other pertinent individuals, as well as share
transactions that result in a person or entity’s becoming or ceasing to be a
majority shareholder of the Company. The report is filed during the first five
business days of the month following the month in which the transactions were
carried out.
SQM
has
not implemented “blackout periods” during which such majority shareholders,
Board members, officers and other pertinent individuals may not carry out
transactions involving SQM’s shares or the shares of its related
companies.
| IV. |
Dissemination
of information of public
interest.
|
SQM
disseminates information periodically, in accordance with legal requirements
and
as determined by its Board of Directors.
In
effect, the Company provides information about its operations and business
results: -i-
on an
annual basis, through: (a)
its
annual report, which it files before the SVS and also provides to the stock
exchanges and other relevant persons, and (b)
its
Annual Report on Form 20-F, which it files before the Securities and Exchange
Commission in the United Status and also provides to the SVS, stock exchanges
and other relevant persons; and -ii-
on a
quarterly basis, through: (a)
quarterly financial statements that are filed before the SVS and provided to
the
stock exchanges and other relevant persons; (b)
a press
release that summarizes the content of the financial statements, which is sent
to the media; and (c)
a Web
cast, during which the Company explains its financial results and in which
investors may participate. All of the abovementioned information is available
to
the general public on the Company’s Web page, www.sqm.com.
Likewise,
the Company reports essential events and confidential essential events when
it
is necessary to do so.
| V. |
Safeguarding
of confidential
information.
|
SQM
treats all confidential information in a reserved manner and limits the number
of people with access to such information. Basically, the people who have access
to such information are the members of SQM’s Board of Directors and, depending
on the scope of the information, certain members of Management. The names of
the
Company’s Board members and Management have been informed to the SVS.
SQM’s
Management and other employees in positions of responsibility have
confidentiality clauses in their employment contracts. The importance of
respecting the confidentiality of SQM’s activities is also reflected in the
Company’s Code of Ethics.
Written
confidential information is held by those people who need to be aware of the
same. The transmission of such information is limited to these individuals,
and
they must return such information for its subsequent destruction when required
by SQM. When a certain amount of time has passed - generally not more than
six
years - SQM destroys confidential information that it has generated or
received.
| VI. |
Official
Company representatives and
spokespersons.
|
SQM’s
Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
and Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Business Development
have been designated as the Company’s official spokespersons.
The
Investor Relations and Communications departments are authorized to provide
certain Company information to certain individuals and to the communities in
which SQM carries out its operations.
SQM
and
its Disclosure Committee evaluate the information to be provided to third
parties, as well as the timing and jeans of such disclosures, on a case-by-case
basis, and it evaluates the timing and format of such disclosures.
When
the
media publishes information about SQM that has not been officially provided
by
the Company, the Company analyzes such information and, depending on its
relevance and value, determines whether it is necessary to deny, correct,
clarify or validate such information.
| VII. |
Disclosure
of the contents of the
Manual.
|
The
Manual is published on SQM’s Intranet and its Web page, www.sqm.com. In
addition, the Manual has been sent to SQM’s employees via e-mail.
Sanctions
and the resolution of any conflicts that may arise in relation to the matters
presented in the Manual are on record in the respective job contracts and,
generally, in the applicable legislation. In addition, SQM evaluates each case
on an individual basis and determines whether or not it is appropriate to apply
an additional sanction.
The
Manual will enter into effect on June 1, 2008.
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:
June
6,
2008