BHP Plans Sale of Chile Power Transmission Assets to Strengthen Copper Focus

Published: Jun 18, 2026 09:36
BHP is reportedly advancing plans to sell approximately US$1.5 billion worth of power transmission assets in Chile, including around 1,000 km of transmission lines supplying electricity to its Escondida, Spence and Cerro Colorado copper operations. According to media reports, the transaction could be completed as early as this year, although the final structure and potential buyers are still under review. The move as part of BHP’s broader strategy to streamline its portfolio and focus on core commodities such as copper. The company has continued to expand its copper exposure through projects including the Vicuña copper district development in Argentina, driven by growing demand linked to electrification and the energy transition.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
AI Compute Power Soars, Who Is the Hidden Core Necessity? Copper Becomes the "New Oil" of the Digital Age
44 mins ago
AI Compute Power Soars, Who Is the Hidden Core Necessity? Copper Becomes the "New Oil" of the Digital Age
Read More
AI Compute Power Soars, Who Is the Hidden Core Necessity? Copper Becomes the "New Oil" of the Digital Age
AI Compute Power Soars, Who Is the Hidden Core Necessity? Copper Becomes the "New Oil" of the Digital Age
44 mins ago
Sharp Decline in Futures Boosts Buying Enthusiasm, Trading Heat Rises and Spot Discounts Strengthen [SMM North China Spot Copper]
1 hour ago
Sharp Decline in Futures Boosts Buying Enthusiasm, Trading Heat Rises and Spot Discounts Strengthen [SMM North China Spot Copper]
Read More
Sharp Decline in Futures Boosts Buying Enthusiasm, Trading Heat Rises and Spot Discounts Strengthen [SMM North China Spot Copper]
Sharp Decline in Futures Boosts Buying Enthusiasm, Trading Heat Rises and Spot Discounts Strengthen [SMM North China Spot Copper]
In North China, #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract were reported at discounts ranging from 210 yuan/mt to 130 yuan/mt, with an average discount of 170 yuan/mt, up 40 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 100,940 yuan/mt, down 2,050 yuan/mt from the previous trading day.
1 hour ago
Downstream is buying the dip, and Shanghai spot copper discounts may narrow slightly tomorrow.
1 hour ago
Downstream is buying the dip, and Shanghai spot copper discounts may narrow slightly tomorrow.
Read More
Downstream is buying the dip, and Shanghai spot copper discounts may narrow slightly tomorrow.
Downstream is buying the dip, and Shanghai spot copper discounts may narrow slightly tomorrow.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, copper prices pulled back in the night session yesterday, prompting some downstream enterprises to actively buy the dip. Intraday purchasing demand increased significantly. After low-priced cargoes were quickly absorbed, suppliers began to show a willingness to hold prices firm, and subsequently, the momentum for selling at low prices weakened. Regarding market structure, the inter-month price spread has shifted into a backwardation structure, reducing the willingness to sell at low prices and providing support for spot discounts. On the supply side, the import window briefly opened during the night session, and additional supply from outside China may follow. Overall, with support from the backwardation structure and downstream dip-buying, Shanghai spot copper quotes against the SHFE copper 2607 contract are expected to remain at discounts tomorrow, with the discount possibly narrowing slightly.
1 hour ago
BHP is reportedly advancing plans to sell approximately US$1.5 billion - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)