SANTIAGO, May 17, 2010 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) -- The value of Chile's copper exports in April jumped to $3.15 billion from $2.02 billion in the same month the previous year, the central bank reported Monday, the result of sharply higher copper prices.
Chile's overall mining exports, including molybdenum, iron, silver, iodine and lithium, rose to $3.44 billion in April from $2.22 billion a year ago.
According to the state copper commission Cochilco, spot copper prices averaged $3.51 a pound on the London Metal Exchange in March, nearly double the $2 a pound averaged in March 2009.
Accumulated copper exports for the first four months of the year rose to $12.54 billion from $6.72 billion in the same 2009 period, while overall mining exports increased to $13.54 billion from $7.66 billion.
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.
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