In 1900, Anglo American acquired Kumba Resources Ltd, a significant move that contributed to its growth and expansion in the mining industry in South Africa.

In 1917, entrepreneur Ernest Oppenheimer founded the company Anglo American.

Anglo American was founded in 1920, and has since become a major player in the mining industry. The company has a long history of innovation and sustainability.

In 1926, the Anglo American Corporation becomes the largest single shareholder in the diamond company De Beers, marking a significant milestone in the corporation's history.

In 1929, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer became the chairman of De Beers, solidifying the prosperous association between the two companies.

In 1933, Anglo American acquired Avmin Limited, a move that enhanced its presence and operations in the mining sector in South Africa.

In 1936, Anglo American established Boart International to convert low-grade natural diamonds into drilling products, leading to the development of the first mechanically set diamond drill bit and further advancements in cutting tools.

In 1945, Anglo American acquired Coal Estates, marking its entry into the coal business. This move paved the way for Anglo American to play a significant role in South Africa's energy sector, with coal power being a major source of electricity in the country.

In 1961, Anglo American made a significant investment in the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company in Canada, marking their first major mining venture outside of Southern Africa. This investment led to the expansion of their partnerships, portfolio, and production in zinc, copper, and precious metals.

In 1973, Anglo American opened an office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking their initial entry into South America. This strategic move paved the way for new business interests, eventually leading to the establishment of gold, nickel, niobium, phosphates, and iron ore operations across Brazil.

Anglo American established the Chairman’s Fund in 1974, becoming the first corporate social investment fund in South Africa to be professionally managed. It has since become one of the leading corporate donors in the country.

In 1980, Anglo American expanded into Chile through a successful joint venture with Empresa Minera Mantos Blancos, marking a significant milestone in their operations in South America. This move opened up new opportunities in the copper industry for the company.

In June 1998, AngloGold is established by merging the gold and uranium assets of Anglo American and its subsidiaries in South Africa, establishing a standalone gold company with Anglo American as a shareholder.

On 24 May 1999, Anglo American Corporation merged with Minorco to form Anglo American plc, with its primary listing on the London Stock Exchange. Its gold mining operations were spun off into the separate AngloGold corporation.

In 2000, Anglo American made significant acquisitions by purchasing Tarmac, a building materials supplier, and Shell Petroleum Company's Australian coal assets.

In 2002, Anglo American announces the acquisition of a 34.9% stake in Avmin and an initial 9.6% in Kumba Resources, with the intention of securing a significant interest in the iron ore market.

In 2003, Anglo American obtained a controlling interest in Kumba Resources, a major iron ore producer, through an acquisition.

In 2004, AngloGold merges with Ashanti Goldfields to form AngloGold Ashanti, becoming the leading gold producer in South Africa during that period.

Four years after Anglo American's initial investment, Kumba Resources undergoes restructuring and becomes Kumba Iron Ore, with Anglo American holding a majority stake in the company.

In 2007, Cynthia Carroll made history by becoming the first female chief executive of Anglo American, marking a significant milestone for the company.

In 2008, Anglo American (excluding De Beers) spent $212 million on exploring resources in 21 countries, focusing on copper, nickel, niobium, phosphates, and zinc. The company engaged in greenfield and brownfield exploration projects.

In December 2010, Anglo American obtained a crucial license from the Brazilian government for the Minas-Rio iron ore project, allowing production to commence. The project involved a 525 km slurry pipeline to transport iron ore to the Port of Açu.

In early November 2011, Anglo American purchased an extra 40% stake in De Beers from the Oppenheimer family for $5.1 billion, raising their total ownership to 85%. This move occurred amidst labor strikes and global scrutiny of conflict diamonds linked to Oppenheimer.

Anglo American sold a 24.5% share in its Chilean copper unit, Anglo American Sur, to Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation for $5.39 billion, with payment due on 10 November 2011. This transaction valued the Anglo American Sur complex at $22 billion.

In November 2012, Anglo American finalized the sale of steel manufacturer Scaw South Africa and its affiliated companies for R3.4 billion in cash.

In December 2013, Anglo American decided to pull out from the Pebble Limited Partnership, signaling a shift in its involvement with the controversial Pebble Mine project in Alaska.

In July 2014, Anglo American announced the divestment of its 50% stake in Lafarge Tarmac to Lafarge SA for a value exceeding £885 million ($1.5 billion), with the sale completed in July 2015 for $1.6 billion. This move aimed to streamline its operations.

By October 2014, Anglo American's Minas-Rio iron ore project in Brazil began operating and shipping ore, marking a significant milestone for the company's mining activities.

In July 2015, Anglo American revealed plans to slash 53,000 jobs (35% of its workforce) and reported a staggering financial loss of US$3 billion for the first half of the year, prompting a major restructuring effort.

In early December 2015, Anglo American disclosed additional plans to cut 85,000 mining jobs globally, representing nearly two-thirds of its workforce. The company also consolidated divisions, suspended dividend payouts, and initiated the sale of several coal mines.

British Indian industrialist Anil Agarwal purchased an 11% stake in Anglo American through his family trust Volcan in March 2017, later increasing it to 20% in September through a $1.5 billion acquisition. This move signaled a strategic shift for the mining giant.

In April 2017, Anglo American divested its Eskom-linked thermal coal operations in South Africa for $166 million, a pivotal step in the company's strategic realignment to focus on key commodities.

In July 2018, Anglo American announced a $5.3 billion investment in developing the Quellaveco copper mine in Peru, with Mitsubishi funding 40% of the cost. Additionally, the company committed $195 million towards local community development projects in Moquegua.

In October 2019, Anglo American announced a collaboration with French energy company Engie and engineering firm First Mode to develop the world's largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck, showcasing its commitment to sustainable mining practices.

In January 2020, Anglo American offered to buy a polyhalite fertiliser project from Sirius Minerals for £400m, aiming to salvage the financially troubled project by investing around £230m to continue construction. The sale was approved by shareholders in March 2020.

Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani announces the company's plan to exit thermal coal operations in South Africa within the next two to three years, with a potential demerger of its South African coal operations.

In October 2020, Anglo American was accused of causing lead poisoning in over 100,000 people near the Kabwe mine, which it operated from 1925 to 1974. Allegations state that the contamination led to health issues in the community.

Details about the increase in investment in South Africa by Anglo American are mentioned.

In February 2021, Anglo American announced plans to divest the Cerrejon coal mine in Colombia by 2024, amidst accusations of increasing illnesses and environmental concerns. The company aimed to address human rights and environmental issues.

In April 2021, Anglo American announced the demerger of Thungela Resources, which will take over significant South African thermal coal assets to mitigate clean-up liabilities.

In May 2022, Anglo American and First Mode revealed the world’s largest hydrogen powered mine haul truck at Mogalakwena PGM Mine in South Africa, as part of the company's plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.

For 2023, Anglo American reported Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions of 12.5 Mt CO2e. The company has committed to achieving carbon neutrality in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040, along with significant reductions in Scope 3 emissions.

In April 2024, BHP made an offer to acquire Anglo American for £31 billion, which was initially rejected by the company as 'highly unattractive'. A revised offer in May 2024 was also turned down.

The Sustainability Strategy of Anglo American sets ambitious goals to be achieved by 2030, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, enhancing energy efficiency, creating off-site jobs in host communities, and improving educational standards in schools within Anglo American's host communities.

Anglo American aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2040 as part of its Sustainable Mining Plan, which includes goals to promote a healthy environment and build trust as a corporate leader.