Codelco starts offering exploration assets to third parties

Chilean State-owned mining company Codelco said on Friday it has commenced seeking prospect partnerships for 34 projects across the country, its first such move into joint exploration.

The offer of "non-core" prospects was first flagged by a company executive at the end of March but met opposition from unions, which saw it as a bid to privatize assets of the state-owned company, the world's largest copper producer. 

Codelco said the 34 projects meet "all the internal and legal requirements to be arranged for partnerships with third parties" since they are not part of deposits currently being mined, destined for expansion or replacement.