SANTIAGO, Apr 15, 2010 (Dow Jones Commodities News Select via Comtex) -- The value of Chile's copper exports in March nearly doubled to $3.28 billion from $1.66 billion in the same month the previous year, the central bank reported Thursday--the result of sharply higher copper prices.
Chile's overall mining exports, including molybdenum, iron, silver, iodine and lithium, rose to $3.59 billion in March from $1.92 billion a year ago.
According to the state copper commission Cochilco, spot copper prices averaged $3.39 a pound on the London Metal Exchange in March, nearly double the $1.40 a pound averaged in March 2009.
Accumulated copper exports for the first three months of the year rose to $9.39 billion, from $4.7 billion in the same 2009 period, while overall mining exports increased to $10.11 billion from $5.43 billion in the year-ago period.
Chile is the world's largest copper producer, accounting for about a third of global production. It is also one of the world's biggest producers of iodine, lithium and molybdenum.
For queries, please contact Michael Jiang at michaeljiang@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please email service.en@smm.cn