Chilean state-owned miner Codelco achieved its second highest copper output ever in 2017, despite contending with a decline in ore grades, the company announced on Thursday March 30.
Production from Codelco's wholly-owned mines totaled 1.73 million tonnes last year, an increase of 1.5% from 2016's 1.71 million tonnes."We reached the second largest production of our history despite the decline in ore grades," Codelco's chief executive officer (CEO) Nelson Pizarro said.The year-on-year increase in output was mostly due to strong performances at the company's Chuquicamata and Andina mines, which reported production increases of 9.6% and 14% respectively in 2017. When including Codelco's share in the El Abra and Anglo American Sur mines, the company's total copper...