Codelco, the world’s biggest copper producer, reported a 3.6% rise in output in 2015 but a fall in the price of the metal led it to post a historic earnings loss.
The Chilean state-run company said in results published Thursday that it produced 1.73-million tonnes of copper last year from its wholly owned mines. Declining ore grades at its older sites were counterbalanced by a boost from the new Ministro Hales mine.