Workers at Chile’s Centinela mine have ended a strike lasting over a week after reaching a deal with Antofagasta on a new collective bargaining contract. The strike, which began on October 7, involved more than 700 members of the Distrito Centinela and Minera Esperanza unions. The workers had demanded equal benefits regardless of union affiliation. The agreement was ratified with 94.49% of participating workers voting in favor, according to a joint statement from the unions and the company.
Three workers had been on a hunger strike to pressure both sides into resolving the deadlocked talks. Antofagasta had previously stated that it managed to maintain normal production levels during the strike, avoiding any negative impact. The mine produced 240,400 metric tons of copper in 2025.
The strike, along with the threat of a supervisors’ strike at BHP’s Escondida mine, had supported global copper prices amid concerns about the industry’s ability to meet future demand.