Freeport Indonesia to process 400,000t of copper concentrate at new smelter
Earlier this month, Freeport obtained an export permit for the rest of the year from the government.
Copper output in Chile rose 8.4% year-over-year in March, reaching 483,780 metric tons, according to Chile’s National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Chile, the world’s largest copper producer, accounts for roughly 1/3 of global copper output.
Improved ore grades and “smoother operations at deposits that hit trouble in 2012″ were quoted by INE as the drivers of the output increase.
Total 2012 Chilean copper production was up 3% over 2011 production.
Sources: Graciela Ibanez of The Wall Street Journal; Reuters; Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas