Copper in Latin America: News, Explainers and Odds
Chile is the world's largest copper producer and Peru ranks among the top three, which makes the Andes the supply side of the electrification trade. In 2026 labour disputes at Escondida and Centinela, falling output at Codelco and tariff threats from Washington keep the market on edge.
This page gathers our reporting, explainers and the daily copper market report in one place, with the latest prediction-market odds on US copper tariffs. It updates automatically whenever we publish a new story.
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Explainers
Copper by Country and Market
Daily Market Report
Our daily read on the copper fund and miners such as Southern Copper and Freeport.
Chile: Codelco, Escondida and the Strikes
Codelco, Escondida and Centinela: output, labour disputes and the state of the world's largest copper producer.
- Chile Demands Answers on False Copper Output14 Oct
- Escondida Union Sets Wednesday Strike13 Oct
- Chile’s El Teniente Avalanche Kills 2 Mine Workers12 Oct
- Chile’s Escondida Copper Output Falls 27.6% in August10 Oct
Peru
Las Bambas, Southern Copper and Cerro Verde: investment, output and the politics of mining.
- Peru’s Terms of Trade Jump 14% on Copper15 Oct
- Southern Copper Plans US$471 Million in Peru14 Oct
- Peru Awards Mine Waste to US-Backed Miner on 12 October13 Oct
- Peru Copper Output Rises 3.7% in July7 Oct
Argentina, Panama, Brazil and Mexico
The newer frontiers: Argentina's Vicuña and Agua Rica, Panama's closed Cobre Panamá mine, Vale in Brazil and Grupo México.
Prices, Tariffs and Demand
Record prices, Washington's tariff threats and China's demand, as covered in our market stories.
Companies and Earnings
Results and deals at Antofagasta, Southern Copper, Freeport, BHP, Glencore and Vale.
What the Markets Say
US hits copper cable with Section 232 tariffs
37% by December 31, 2026
42% by December 31, 2027
Traded: US$16,649
Source: Polymarket, prices as of 15 October, 09:26 Lisbon. Market prices are bets, not forecasts by The Rio Times.
Latest on Copper in Latin America
- Peru’s Terms of Trade Jump 14% on Copper15 Oct
- Southern Copper Plans US$471 Million in Peru14 Oct
- Chile Demands Answers on False Copper Output14 Oct
- Escondida Union Sets Wednesday Strike13 Oct
- Peru Awards Mine Waste to US-Backed Miner on 12 October13 Oct
- Chile’s El Teniente Avalanche Kills 2 Mine Workers12 Oct
- Chile’s Escondida Copper Output Falls 27.6% in August10 Oct
- Peru Copper Output Rises 3.7% in July7 Oct
- Chile Copper Strike Begins at Centinela Mine7 Oct
- Peru Exports Jump 34% to US$74 Billion on Mining7 Oct
- Chile Copper Mine Faces 708-Worker Strike as Talks Fail7 Oct
- BHP Pauses Escondida Strike in Chile With 5-Day Talks5 Oct
- Chile’s Copper Bet Faces an AI Reversal Risk in 20265 Oct
- Chile Copper Output Falls 12.8% in August2 Oct
- Argentina Backs Glencore’s US$4bn Agua Rica Copper Mine2 Oct
- Copper Falls in Base-Metals Selloff; Chile Risks Linger2 Oct
- Chile Imacec Falls 1% in August as Mining Slumps 17.4%1 Oct
- Copper Steady at US$14,417 as Chile Output Hits 15-Year Low1 Oct
- Cobre Panamá Report Urges Restart Talks Before Closure1 Oct
- Antofagasta Minerals Workers Take Equal-Pay Fight to Santiago After Chile Strike Vote30 Sep