2017 Chile copper production down 0.9%

According to the latest international copper market outlook released by the Chilean National Copper Council (Cochilco), the country's copper output in 2017 was 5.5 million tonnes, down 0.9% from 5.55 million tonnes in the previous year, the second consecutive year of decline. Copper production in Chile has dropped 4.7% since reaching 577 million tons in 2015.

Cochilco analyzed that 2017 copper production should increase if it were not for a 43-day miners strike at Escondida mine under BHP Billiton from February to March last year. Last year, the production of Escondide copper dropped from 1 million tons in 2016 to 925,000 tons, a decrease of 7.7%.