Chile copper mines halt operations amid severe storm

Heavy rain, flooding and high‑altitude snowfall swept central and northern Chile in July 2026, forcing several major copper mines to suspend or scale back production. State‑owned Codelco halted surface work at its Andina division, while the Caserones mine in the Atacama Region was fully stopped after snow blocked access and cut power. Antofagasta Minerals’ Los Pelambres limited site access and temporarily stopped ore transport, and El Teniente suspended open‑pit haulage. The extreme weather also triggered helicopter evacuations of stranded workers, power outages across the region, and an overflow at the Minera Los Pelambres tailings pond that contaminated the nearby Estero Pupio watercourse, prompting authorities to advise residents against using the local water supply.

The storm highlighted the vulnerability of global supply chains that depend on copper, including data‑centre infrastructure and artificial‑intelligence hardware. Analysts note that disruptions at the start of the mining‑to‑chip chain can reverberate through the technology sector, although mining companies said the impact on overall copper output and AI production remains limited and forecasts are unchanged.