Mining companies Anglo American and Codelco have temporarily suspended operations at their mines due to heavy rains in central Chile.
Following the rains, operations at Codelco Chile’s El Teniente underground mine were halted due to problems with infrastructure access personnel and supplies, and interruption to transportation system mineral plants.
Reuters quoted Anglo American saying that the company suspended mining activities at its Los Bronces copper mine and is currently normalising them.
The plants at the mine were also operating as usual with stockpiled material.
Codelco said that the detention is set to last for at least three days and will affect the production of about 5,000t of fine copper.
Other divisions of Codelco are operating normally.
Codelco said in a statement: "The climactic event of severe nature that has manifested itself in the mountainous area where the site is located, along with rainfall of about 180 mm in the past 48 hours, has caused damage to the transportation infrastructure of people and mineral due to the occurrence alluvium and flooding of watercourses on infrastructure."
El Teniente has taken all necessary measures to reduce and mitigate any risk to workers in the division and partner companies.
In August 2015, Codelco evacuated workers from Chuquicamata and suspended operations at its Rodomiro Tomic, temporarily following deadly storms that hit northern Chile.
