# BHP Copper Output Falls 19% as Chile and Australia Disrupt Production By John Kim Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/business/36181 Published: 2026-10-21T00:55:29.000Z Updated: 2026-10-21T00:55:29.000Z Section: Business > The miner maintained its fiscal 2027 copper target of 1.65 million to 1.8 million metric tons despite a 23% decline at Escondida. BHP Group Limited's copper production fell 19% from a year earlier in the quarter ended Sept. 30 as disruptions in Chile and Australia cut output, while the miner maintained its fiscal 2027 target. BHP produced 400,700 metric tons of copper during the quarter. Escondida, its Chilean mine, produced 252,600 metric tons on a 100% mine basis, down 23% from a year earlier. That figure represents the mine's total output, rather than BHP's ownership share. Severe weather in July and August disrupted logistics and truck use at Escondida. Mining also stopped temporarily after a worker died in a Sept. 23 incident. Planned maintenance and lower-grade ore further reduced concentrate production. The decline extended beyond Chile. Copper output in South Australia fell 16% to 60,700 metric tons after a conveyor failure at Carrapateena. The conveyor has since returned to full capacity. BHP kept its fiscal 2027 copper production target at 1.65 million to 1.8 million metric tons. It also maintained Escondida's target of 1 million to 1.1 million metric tons, measured on a 100% mine basis. Separately, BHP signed a 36-month agreement with Escondida's supervisors' union effective Oct. 14. The contract followed [a tentative deal reached earlier this month]() that postponed a strike while union members voted on the proposed terms. ## Links in this article - [a tentative deal reached earlier this month](https://www.tokenpost.com/news/business/31804)