SQM Announces Date of 2010 Annual Shareholders Meeting and Dividend Proposal

SANTIAGO, Chile, March 17, 2010 - Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock
Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A) announced today that its Board of Directors has
unanimously agreed to propose to lower the dividend policy from 65% to 50% of
net income at the Company's next Annual Shareholders Meeting to be held on
April 29, 2010. This modification would mean a gross dividend of US$0.62131
per share would be paid to shareholders.

The interim dividend of US$0.37994 per share, which was paid on December
16, 2009, will be deducted from the gross dividend of US$0.62131 per share.
Therefore, the outstanding amount to be paid is US$0.24137 per share.

This proposal is subject to the approval of shareholders at the Company's
2010 annual meeting. If approved, the dividend will be paid to shareholders
of record on the fifth business day prior to the payment date. The Company's
depositary bank, the Bank of New York Mellon, will inform shareholders of the
record date applicable to them. The amount payable will be the Chilean peso
equivalent of US$0.24137 per share, in accordance with the "Observed Exchange
Rate" as published in the Official Gazette on April 29, 2010. The payment
date of this dividend for shareholders registered in Chile will be Wednesday,
May 12, 2010.

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.

The leadership strategy is based on the Company's competitive advantages
and on the sustainable growth of the different markets in which it
participates. SQM's main competitive advantages in its different businesses
are:

    For further information, contact: Patricio Vargas, +56-2-4252485 /
                                      patricio.vargas@sqm.com

                                      Mary Laverty, +56-2-4252074 /
                                      mary.laverty@sqm.com

    For media inquiries, contact:     Fernanda Guerra, +56-2-4252027 /
                                      fernanda.guerra@sqm.com

Statements in this press release concerning the Company's business
outlook, future economic performances, 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.

Patricio Vargas, +56-2-4252485, patricio.vargas at sqm.com, Mary Laverty, +56-2-4252074, mary.laverty at sqm.com, Fernanda Guerra, +56-2-4252027, fernanda.guerra at sqm.com