The union of workers at Antofagasta´s Zaldivar copper mine in northern Chile told Reuters it had reached a contract deal with the Chilean-based miner, averting the risk of a walk-off.

The workers at the mine entered mediation with the government over salaries and benefits on July 15, in a last-ditch bid to stave off a strike amid a coronavirus outbreak in the South American nation.

Zaldivar, which is co-owned by Barrick Gold Corp, accounts for about 2% of Chile's annual copper production.

By Fabian Cambero