SANTIAGO, Oct 22 — The world is hungrier than ever for copper, a key ingredient in green energy and the data centres that power artificial intelligence.
But Chile, which accounts for one-quarter of the world’s supply of the critical mineral, has seen its output of its biggest export fall in recent years.
In August, production fell to its lowest level in 15 years, even though strong global demand is keeping prices buoyant.
After decades of extraction, the biggest deposits have been depleted, meaning companies have to process ever more ore to obtain the same quantities of the metal.
