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 material event sent by Sociedad Química y Minera de
Chile
S.A. to
the Chilean Superintendency of Securities and Insurance (Superintendencia de
Valores y
Seguros
de Chile) on November 23, 2010.
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________
Santiago,
November 23, 2010
Mr.
Fernando Coloma C.
Superintendent
Securities
and Insurance Superintendency
Avda.
Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 1449
Santiago
MATERIAL
EVENT
Dear Mr.
Superintendent:
We hereby
inform you that on November 23, 2010, in an ordinary session the Board of
Directors of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) unanimously agreed to
pay and distribute an interim dividend, as outlined in the “2010 Dividend
Policy” approved at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting held on April 29, 2010. The
interim dividend, equal to US$0.41794 per share (approximately US$110 million or
40% of net income for the first nine months of 2010) will be paid and
distributed December 15, 2010. The interim dividend, which will be charged to
2010 net income, will be paid in favor of those shareholders registered in the
Company’s Book of Shareholders the fifth working day prior to the day of such
payment. The pertinent amount will be paid in its equivalent in
Chilean pesos, based on the “Observed Dollar” rate that published by the
Official Gazette on December 9, 2010.
We
hereby inform you of the above as a material event in compliance with Articles 9
and 10 of Law No. 18.045, SQM’s Dividend Policy for the 2010 Business Year, and
Circular Letters Nos. 660 and 687 and General Standard No. 30 issued by the
Superintendency of Securities and Insurance on October 22, 1986, February 13,
1987, and November 10, 1989, respectively.
We remain
at your disposal to clarify any additional aspects that you may deem relevant in
relation to the above.
Sincerely,
Sociedad
Química y Minera de Chile S.A.
Conf: /s/
Patricio Contesse G.
Patricio
Contesse G.
Chief
Executive Officer
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Cc:
|
Santiago
Stock Exchange
|
|
Brokers
Stock Exchange
Electronic
Stock Exchange
New
York Stock Exchange
Securities
and Exchange Commission
The
Bank of New York
|
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SQM
El Trovador 4285, Piso
6
Las Condes, Santiago,
Chile
Tel: (56 2) 425
2485
Fax: (56 2) 425
2493
www.sqm.com
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 |
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
Ricardo
Ramos
Chief
Financial Officer & Business Development SVP
Date:
November 24, 2010