Chile  produced  455,995  mt  of  copper  in  February,  up  21.1%  year  on  year and largely 

reflecting the impact of a strike by workers at the giant Escondida mine last year, government 

data showed Thursday. 

Increased throughput at other operations also helped. 

The monthly figure, however, marks a fall of 5.5% from January. 

Production  during  the  first two months of the year totaled 938,484 mt, up 13.3% from 12 

months earlier, the data showed. 

Workers at the BHP-controlled Escondida , the world's largest copper mine, went on strike for 

44 days in February and March last year in a dispute over pay. 

They returned to work on an 18-month extension of the existing contract meaning that the 

union and management will have to hold new talks this year for a new agreement. 

The talks are one of almost two dozen collective negotiations faced by major Chilean mines 

this year, threatening an expected recovery in production. 

Earlier this week, Antofagasta Minerals avoided a strike at its flagship Los Pelambres mine 

after workers accepted a new offer during government-mediated talks.