Chile's Codelco Says Strike Halts Chuqui Output

Chile, Jan 4 (Reuters) -- Top global copper producer Chile's Codelco said on Monday a strike by workers halted output at its giant Chuquicamata complex, the world's second biggest and accounts for about 4 percent of mined copper.

"Operations have stopped. There is no production," a Codelco official told Reuters. Workers at the complex began their strike over pay at 0800 GMT Monday, marking the first by unionized workers at the deposit since 1996, when workers went on strike for more than a week.

Codelco sources have estimated the Chuquicamata complex in far northern Chile will lose up to 1,800 tonnes of copper output per day and cost the state about $8 million of lost daily revenue. The complex was expected to produce 565,000 tonnes of copper in 2009.