SANTIAGO – Chile's Codelco, the world's largest copper miner, increased its production by 14.9% year-on-year to 151 600 t in June, and by 6.8% so far this year, the Chilean state copper commission Cochilco said on Tuesday.
BHP's Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, saw production fall 21.6% year-on-year to 82 900 t in the same month, for an accumulated drop of 14.9% in the first half of this year.
Escondida has curtailed some operations since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and imposition of restrictions, including reducing cathode production, resulting in 11 straight months of declining production.
Meanwhile at the Collahuasi copper mine - a joint venture by Glencore and Anglo American - production fell 6.7% year-on-year to 53 900 t in June, giving an accumulated increase of 2.7% in the first six months of the year.
The country’s total production was up 2.3% year-on-year in June to 477 300 t, Cochilco said.