BHP Chile Escondida Copper Mine Seeks Early Labor Talks -Paper

Management at the BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP)-controlled Escondida copper mine in Chile aims to begin contract negotiations with unionized workers ahead of the legally mandated schedule, La Tercera newspaper reported Tuesday.

By starting talks early - the contract expires in December - management is hoping to avert a strike like the month-long walkout seen in the previous negotiations in 2006.

People in the mining sector told the newspaper talks hadn't started yet but that Escondida sought to kick off talks with the 2,000-strong union.

Escondida's spokesman wasn't immediately available to confirm the report.

BHP is currently in the middle of contract negotiations with the union at its Spence copper mine, also located in Chile. The contract expired on Sept. 30. The two sides are currently wrapping up a five-day government-assisted mediation period and if an agreement isn't reached, workers could go on strike Thursday.

Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, is controlled and operated by BHP, which has a 57.5% stake. Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto PLC (RTP) holds 30%, with an additional 10% held by a Japanese consortium led by Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.TO) and the remaining 2.5% by International Finance Corp. (IFC.KW), the private-sector unit of the World Bank.

-By Carolina Pica, Dow Jones Newswires; 56-2-820-4244; [e-mail]