Relations Sour at Giant Copper Pit With Automation Looming
- Five Chuquicamata unions are threatening to dial up protests
- Source of conflict is transition from open pit to underground
The Chuquicamata copper mine.
Photographer: Alejandro Parra/Bloomberg
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Just as labor tensions ease at BHP Billiton Ltd.’s giant Escondida mine, the copper industry has another iconic mine to worry about.
Relations between the world’s largest copper producer, Codelco, and unions in its Chuquicamata division have reached the lowest point in years as the mine transitions from open pit to an underground model that will use more automation and employ fewer workers.