Chile's December Copper Output up 3.8% YoY to 501,950 mt

SHANGHAI, Jan. 27 (SMM) -- Chile's copper output was up 3.8% YoY to 501,950 mt in December, according to Chile's National Institute of Statistics (INE). The country's copper output was 483,625 mt in December 2008.
Chile's copper output for the whole year of 2009 grew slightly 0.8% YoY to 5,408,561 mt, compared with 2008 levels of 5,363,576 mt.
INE said the increasing copper output was due mainly to normal production at mines after the problems of technical malfunction and labor issues have been resolved.

INE also added that rebounding global copper prices and higher inventories of copper at major warehouses were also reason behind growing output.

Chile is the largest copper producer in the world, with output accounting for 35% of the world total.

(Edited by SMM)