SANTIAGO (Commodity Online): Finally, there is relief for quake-hit Chile. Power supply, which was badly hit by the 8.8 earthquake, which shook the country on February 27, has been restored in almost all mines.
Owing to the power and transportation problems, several of Chile’s major mines had closed production hitting the global copper and gold prices this week. Chile is the world’s largest copper producer with several of its mines feeding the global demand.
However, on Tuesday, stable power supply returned to key Chilean copper mines.
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According to reports in the media, Chile’s copper mines emerged almost unscathed from Saturday’s quake, with the biggest deposits in the far north unaffected and other mines near Santiago having quickly resumed operations this week.
The country’s two refineries were harder hit, with officials saying that the 100,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Aconcagua refinery near Santiago would open next week.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the quake rose to 799 this week. Rescuers in the hardest-hit areas, including Concepcion and the Maule and Bio Bio regions, continued to scramble to reach possible survivors.
Although damage was significant in Santiago, the nation’s capital, electricity and water were restored to much of the city and many residents could use their cell phones and other conveniences. About 90 percent of the city's stores were open.
