Anglo copper mines restart after quake

Production was affected at four of Anglo's copper sites: Los Bronces, El Soldado and Mantoverde mines and the Chagres copper smelter. The mines produced 341,300 tonnes of copper, or 51 per cent of Anglo's output, in 2009, while smelter production from Chagres was 137,700 tonnes of anodes.

Power was partially restored to the operations late on Saturday and production began to ramp up on Sunday following detailed inspections.

"We are targeting an efficient resumption of full production as the situation allows," Anglo chief executive Cynthia Carroll said.

The London-listed miner said its Mantos Blancos mine and the Collahuasi mine, partly owned by Xstrata, were unaffected by the earthquake.

However, three Scaw Metals facilities in Chile have been affected with limited damage at two sites. Anglo has been looking to sell the Scaw Metals Group as part of its divestment programme.

Anglo American spokesman Marcelo Esquivel said the 61,000 tonne-per-year Mantoverde copper mine was working at full capacity after it was briefly offline due to energy problems after the quake hit Chile.