Chile's August Copper Output Fell 10% After Mining Accident

Written by Amir Richani for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In August, Chile faced a significant setback to its strong production pace after recording volumes of 419,800 tons of copper, 10% below the 466,700 tons recorded in August 2024. The drop is driven partly by a major accident at El Teniente Mine, as well as setbacks at the Collahuasi and Quebrada Blanca mines.

The state-owned National Copper Corporation of Chile (Codelco) (Santiago, Chile) produced 93,400 tons of copper, down from 125,300 tons from the same month last year. The decline was led by Codelco's El Teniente asset, which produced 11,300 tons in August versus last August's 36,000 tons, following a July 31 accident that killed six miners and forced the mine's shutdown for several days.

The company has launched an investigation into the reasons behind the accident, and some sections of the mine remain shut. Subscribers to Industrial Info' Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Plant Database can learn more about the El Teniente Mine in a detailed plant profile.

Most Codelco mines had lower yearly outputs in August. However, the company's volumes in the first eight months was 900,700 tons, 4.1% higher than the same period in 2024.

The Collahuasi Mine, owned by Anglo American plc (London, England), Mitsui & Company (Tokyo, Japan), and Glencore plc (Baar, Switzerland), averaged a production of 35,400 tons in August, which is on par with this year's volumes but considerably below the 48,800 tons experienced in August 2024. The asset has been facing lower grades, leading to volume drops throughout 2025, which are currently averaging 31.8% below 2024's numbers.

Meanwhile, Teck Resources Limited's (Vancouver, British Columbia) Quebrada Blanca Mine reported an output of 15,700 tons, down from 19,700 in August 2024, due to ongoing issues with its tailing management facility reported in October. These issues are expected to impact output until next year. Subscribers can read detailed plant profiles of the Collahuasi and Quebrada Blanca mines.

Despite these setbacks, Chile's copper output from January to August reached 3.5 million tons, 0.7% higher than last year. This pace is supported by strong operations at Escondida, the world's biggest copper mine, which produced 900,000 tons so far this year, 8.9% more than in the first eight months of last year. Subscribers can learn more about the Escondida Mine in a detailed plant profile.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed profiles for mines mentioned in this article.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).