文華財經（綜合編譯 劉娜）--據圣地亞哥11月8日消息，全球最大的銅礦--智利Codelco公司周四表示，正在執行新的新礦計劃，屆時2009起新的Gaby銅礦年產量將超過160,000噸。

　　最初的計劃為一旦全力生產，Baby銅礦每年將生產150,000噸陰極銅。

　　在國際銅價位于高位的時間好于預期之際，國有Codelco公司希望能夠增產。

　　 State-run Codelco is working to boost output to take

　　advantage of copper prices that have stayed higher for longer

　　than expected -- in what many call a commodities super-cycle

　　supported by ravenous Chinese demand.

　　 The mining giant is also trying to bring new output on line

　　to compensate for aging mines where ore grades are falling.

　　 Codelco Chief Executive Jose Pablo Arellano said the mine,

　　which is due to start production in March, will have output of

　　100,000 tonnes in 2008.

　　 The $907 million copper mine is 83.6 percent complete and

　　will operate with fully remote control trucks, the first in the

　　world to do so, Arellano said.

　　 The Gaby mine is a joint-venture project with China's

　　largest metals trader, state-owned China Minmetals Corp.

　　 Under the terms of the Minmetals-Codelco agreement, the

　　Chinese partner will invest in the mine in exchange for

　　advanced sales of copper over the next 15 years.

　　 The agreement also gives Minmetals the option to buy a

　　stake in the mine of at least 25 percent, but no more than 49

　　percent.

　　 Arellano said on Thursday Minmetals has not exercised its

　　rights as of yet, and does not have a deadline to do so.

　　 China is the world's largest consumer of copper, but

　　imports more than half of its copper as metal, scrap and ore.

　　 Gaby Chief Executive Eliseo Perez said the company

　　continues explorations of copper sulfides at the property but

　　that those would not be exploited until after oxides are spent,

　　after some 15 years.

　　 The mining of the Gaby pit will involve processing 618

　　million tonnes of mineral oxides, with average grade of 0.41

　　percent copper.