Negotiations to end a 40 day-old strike at the giant Escondida copper mine in northern Chile 

are to continue, the union said late Tuesday, after management and workers' representative

s met for talks for the first time in several weeks March 20. 

More than 2,500 unionized employees at the open pit mine have been on strike since Februa

ry 9, after pay talks ended without agreement. 

The strike has halted production at the BHP Billiton-controlled mine, which produced more tha

n 1 million mt of copper in cathode and concentrates last year.