First Quantum Minerals Declares an Interim Dividend of Cdn $0.0533 per Share

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Aug. 8, 2011) - First Quantum Minerals Ltd. ("First Quantum" or the "Company") (TSX:FM)(LSE:FQM) will pay an interim dividend of Cdn $0.0533 per share in respect of the financial year ended December 31, 2011. The dividend will be paid on September 20, 2011 to shareholders of record on August 29, 2011. The ex-dividend date is August 25, 2011.

This dividend is calculated based on the subdivision of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares on a five-for-one basis. First Quantum's common shares will commence trading on a split basis on the Toronto Stock Exchange at the opening of trading on August 9, 2011 and on the London Stock Exchange from 8.00 a.m. (BST) on August 10, 2011.

The dividends paid are considered eligible dividends for Canadian tax purposes.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of First Quantum Minerals Ltd.

G. Clive Newall, President

12g3-2b-82-4461

Listed in Standard and Poor's

Certain information contained in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements or information, including but not limited to those with respect to the prices of gold, copper, cobalt and sulphuric acid, estimated future production, estimated costs of future production, the Company's hedging policy and permitting time lines, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such factors include, among others, the actual prices of copper, gold, cobalt and sulphuric acid, the factual results of current exploration, development and mining activities, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario Securities Commissions, the Autorité des marchés financiers in Quebec, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the London Stock Exchange.