SANTIAGO - Chile's giant Collahuasi copper mine plans a third shipment of concentrate next week via an alternative port as the deposit scrambles for more routes to increase exports and lift force majeure on sales.

The third shipment of 10 000 tonnes of copper concentrate will depart Jan. 16 or 17 from the Antofagasta port, an official at the facility told Reuters on Monday.

Collahuasi has delivered two shipments with a total of around 22 000 tonnes from Antofagasta, which is equivalent to about 17 percent of its monthly exports, since a shiploader accident shutdown its sea terminal on Dec. 18. The mine declared force majeure on Dec. 20 -- a contract clause that frees it of liability over delays.

A Collahuasi official was not immediately available for comment.

Export disruptions at the mine, which produces about 3.3 percent of the world's mined copper or 535,000 tonnes annually, has fanned global supply fears and helped copper hit new records in recent weeks.

The mine has said it has enough storage capacity to avoid bottlenecks and keep production running normally.

Copper for three-months delivery on the London Metal Exchange fell on Monday on worries over Europe's debt troubles and a stronger dollar.

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