Mining breaks downward trend to labor productivity during 2013
In 2013 were materialized via DL-600 – U.S. $ 3900 million from mining investment, 2.6% less than the previous year.
The first rise in labor productivity of domestic mining since 2005, was recorded in 2013, according to what establishes the statistical yearbook of the Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco).
On average, the group of ten companies of the Great Private Mining (GMP-10), together with Codelco, were up 3.2%, says Jorge Cantallopts, Cochilco’s Studies Director (p).
Although it may be considered a little up from 2012 data, this is the first time that the downward trend is evidenced for nine years, when the State agency began measuring this component in the industry.
The indicator is made between the production of copper mine and the average personnel from the companies themselves.
“While the number of workers in the great copper mining increased by 4.3%, copper production of this segment (representing approximately 93% of the country) grew at 6.5%, which be able to reverse the trend in productivity, “says Cantallopts.
Mientras Codelco registró una variación negativa en su productividad, de -4%, las firmas del GMP-10 aumentaron en 6,4%. De todos modos, la estatal mantiene un mejor desempeño en este indicador que las otras empresas medidas.
While Codelco reported a negative change in productivity, -4%, the companies of the GMP-10 increased by 6.4%. However, the state company remains a top performer in this indicator than the other companies measured.
The country, meanwhile, produced 5.7 million tons of fine copper in 2013, which represented a 6.3% increase over the previous year.
Another phenomenon that is beginning to show in the industry is the effect of containment plans and cost reduction which are implementing some companies.
“No doubt the rise in labor productivity and cost control plans have contributed to breaking the trend in total unit costs, which fell 7.8% in 2013 compared to 2012, highlighting the cases of Collahuasi, Candelaria , Quebrada Blanca and Codelco, “they say in Cochilco.
In the particular case of the state company, low operating costs of 0.2%, but particularly the lower total costs by 12% stands out, which is mainly explained by special effect of cost reduction plans, in addition to low prices of energy and other inputs say in Cochilco.
Regarding mining investments via DL 600, were materialized in 2013 U.S. $ 3900, 2.6% less than in 2012. And besides, only authorized $ 440 million for this industry, well below the nearly U.S. $ 9,500 million in 2012.
Source: Diario Financiero
