Chile’s mining production increases 7.7% thanks to copper and lithium

The mining production of Chili increased 7.7% last February compared to the same month in 2023, thanks to greater activity, especially in the copper and lithium sectors, the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Metallic mining grew by 5.5% “due to an increase in the extraction and processing of copper,” said the INE it’s a statement.

With almost a quarter of the world’s supply, equivalent to about 5.2 million metric tons annually, Chili It is the world’s largest producer of copper.

Also contributing to the best monthly index was that non-metallic mining increased its activity by 24.9%, compared to the same month in 2023 “due to an increase in the production of lithium carbonate,” stated the state entity.

The South American country is the second largest global producer of lithium, a light metal that is key to the manufacture of batteries for cars, cell phones and various electronic items.

Chile has 41% of the world’s lithium reserves, followed by Australia (25.4%), Argentina (9.8%) and China (6.7%), according to the Chilean Central Bank.