Chile’s top copper miners boost June output during coronavirus peak

Chile’s largest copper mines boosted output in June, according to government statistics released late on Tuesday, churning out more of the red metal even as the coronavirus outbreak hit its stride in the South American mining powerhouse.

The Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco) reported that Codelco, the world’s top copper producer, raised production by 2.5% from June 2019, to 131 900 t.

BHP’s Escondida mine, the largest copper deposit in the world, increased production by 1.6% year-on-year, to 105 800 t.