Chile Copper, Gold production rises in April; Silver declines: INE
Metal Recycling News | 2012-06-01 08:47:18
Chile's copper production advanced by 1.6% year-on-year to 445,378 metric tons in April this year, as per latest data released by INE, National Statistics Institute, on Thursday. Chile is the world's largest copper producer.
By Paul Ploumis
SANTIAGO (Scrap Monster): Chile's copper production advanced by 1.6% year-on-year to 445,378 metric tons in April this year, as per latest data released by INE, National Statistics Institute, on Thursday. Chile is the world's largest copper producer.
According to INE,
-- Chile copper production rose by 1.3% year-on-year to 1,731,677 tons in January-April
--Country's gold production gained by 8% year-on-year in April while its silver production declined sharply by 12% year-on-year.
--Chile's Molybdenum production in March retreated 5% year-to-year to 2,928 tons, due to lower ore grades. In January-March, molybdenum output fell 17% on the year to 10,350 tons. Last year, production of the metal rose 10.7% to 40,994 tons.
Molybdenum, which is used to harden steel, and precious metals such as silver and gold are often found as by products at Chilean copper mines.
According to the central bank, as well as mining roughly a third of the world's copper, Chile also is one of the leading producers of molybdenum, iodine, lithium, gold and silver. The mining industry represents about 15% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
