World’s top copper mine suspends projects over strike

SANTIAGO: world’s largest copper mine, BHP suspend plans Wednesday for two

BHP Billiton, which owns a 57.5 percent stake in the mine, said its plans to build new desalination and concentration plants there were on hold because of the strike.

The company said in a statement the strike had made it impossible for contractors to resume work on the two facilities.

Some 2,500 workers at Escondida, a sprawling mine complex in the

The 42-day shutdown has now tied the record for the longest min

With no breakthrough in sight, it looks set to break the record Thursday.

The miners union has said it is prepared to stay on strike for two months.

the strike has so far dented copper production by 110,000 tonnes.

Escondida normally supplies some five percent of global copper out