Diego Hernandez, head of base metals for the global mining company, told Reuters Billiton had to evacuate employees at the mine after striking workers entered the mine that produced about 164,000 tonnes of copper cathodes last year.
“The strikers have taken over installations… they have damaged some equipment and put at risk the safety of about 400 people that were still at the mine,” Hernadez said at the sidelines of a mining event in the capital Santiago. “BHP Billiton has decided to evacuate the site and suspend all activities.”
He did not say whether anyone was injured at the mine.
The strike has curbed output amid global supply worries. Hernandez said the mine has seen output decline by 500 tonnes of copper per day since the strike started on Oct. 13, for about 18,500 tonnes total.
Hernandez said authorities have not cleared strikers from the mining site located in northern Chile’s dry, Atacama desert.
“I hope they come to their senses,” Hernandez said.
Earlier in the day, workers at the Spence mine said BHP Billiton rejected a new proposal aimed at ending the strike.
Union leaders at Spence were not immediately available for comment after the company said the mine had been shut because of an invasion.
Earlier, Spence union head Andres Ramirez repeated threats to invade installations and block roads. He said at the time strikers were moving closer to the mine but had not invaded.
