Codelco Thursday began to restart production at its El Teniente mining and smelting complex in central Chile, five days after heavy rains damaged roads and infrastructure, the state company said.
After restoring temporary access to the underground mine, ore transport from the mine to the processing plants was restarted and grinding and concentration operations were ramped up as water became available, Codelco said in a statement. However, the system remains vulnerable due to the extent of damage caused to infrastructure, the company said.
El Teniente is Codelco's largest and most profitable mine, producing 471,000 mt of copper last year, at an average cost of just $1/lb.
Codelco has estimated the cost of the closure at around 1,500 mt/d of refined copper.
Codelco late Wednesday separately said it has suspended executives, management and some workers after a tailings spill was discovered at its Andina division, also in central Chile. Pumping of tailings was resumed before transport canal had been checked for damage caused by the rains.
