Chile’s top copper mines ramped up production in March even as the coronavirus outbreak took hold, according to data released on Thursday by state copper agency Cochilco, boosted by a sharp spike in output from state miner Codelco.
Production at Codelco – the world’s largest copper mining company – rose 14.8% year-on-year in March to 147 600 t. Codelco’s output jumped 4.2% to 386 600 t in the first quarter, Cochilco said.