Antofagasta Plc

Antofagasta Plc

Antofagasta is one of the major international copper producers in the world. It is a Chilean business that operates in three main divisions:

• Mining
• Transport
• Water

The Antofagasta group started as Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia. It changed ownership in 1888 and soon after was listed on the London Stock exchange.

Antofagasta PLC Mining Divisions

The mining aspect of the business is the predominant part of the business with all its activities concentrated mainly in Chile. Antofagasta owns and operates three copper mines in Chile; Los Pelambres, El Tesoro and Michilla. As such a large part of the company is mining and future growth is dependent on it, Antofagasta Minerals devotes time to exploration projects and development particularly in the regions of northern Chile, Pakistan and other parts of Latin America.

Los Pelambres began production in late 1999 and is one of the largest open pit mines in Chile. El Tesoro is located 200km northeast of Antofagasta and is also an open pit mine and a plant that produces 98,000 tonnes of copper cathodes annually.

The business has been very successful and in 2006 the total productions from the Los Pelambres, El Tesoro and Michilla copper mines was 466 thousand tonnes.

Transport Division of Antofagasta PLC

The Antofagasta PLC group runs an extensive railway network in the north of Chile that serves the mining in that region. Antofagasta is the name of the port on the north pacific coast of Chile about 700 miles north of Santiago and the rail network is centred in the port.

The Chilean railway company has operated since 1888 and today is called the FCAB. It offers mineral transport; such as anodes and cathodes of copper, zinc-silver and molybdenum. It also carries dangerous loads; such as sulphuric acid, ammonium asphalt, cyanide, diesel, nitrate, caustic soda water and sodium sulphate, as well as foods like wheat, soya, oil, barley, oats and sugar.

Antofagasta PLC is also owned involved in road transportation through another subsidiary, Train Ltda. It is involved in engineering and freight services.

The Water Division

Antofagasta PLC has the concession to operate water rights and facilities in the Antofagasta region. In 2003 it was awarded a 30 year concession consisting of two businesses. These are a regulated water supply to domestic customers in the region and an unregulated business supplying miners and industrial users.

The water supply is provided by means of two systems: the Gran Sistema Norte and the Sistema Sur.

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