Copper production in Chile reduced by 1.9pc in January-May 2021 to 2.32mn mt from 2.36 mn mt in the same time frame last year, according to the Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco).
The commission indicated on Jul 2 that production in the first five months of the year was led by output from Codelco, which produced 698,600mt during the period, up 5.2pc from 664,200mt produced in January-May 2020. However, a 10.5pc reduction in mining at the Los Pelambres mine and a decline of 20.3pc and 23pc at Zaldivar and Cerro Colorado mines, respectively, pulled down the country’s overall output.
In May, copper output in Chile declined by 1pc to 487,200mt from 492,300mt in the same month of last year. However, copper production increased by 6pc compared from 461,200mt in April, Cochilco noted.
Codelco remained the largest copper miner in terms of output in May as well with 152,500mt produced at its four locations followed by Escondida with 84,800mt, Collahuasi with 57,900mt, and Anglo American Sur, with 31,500mt of copper produced during the month.