Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Chile Copper Production Up Almost 8 Per Cent

Copper output in Chile, the world’s biggest producer, rose 7.8 percent in August from a year earlier after state-owned Codelco and BHP Billiton Ltd. boosted production, the government said.

Output increased to 459,823 metric tons from 426,689 tons a year earlier, the country’s national statistics agency said in a statement distributed in Santiago today.

Codelco, based in Santiago, is the world’s biggest copper producer. Melbourne-based BHP, the largest mining company, owns 57.5 percent of Chile’s Escondida, the world’s biggest copper mine.

Production of molybdenum, used for stainless steel making, rose 27 percent to 3,164 tons from 2,495 tons a year earlier, the agency said.

Source: Bloomberg

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