SANTIAGO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - BHP said on Tuesday that its Escondida copper mine in Chile, where workers began a strike in the morning after pay negotiations fell apart, "continues operating."

The miner also said in a statement that the union had declined an invitation to restart talks, and that it had begun to remove striking workers when it activated a contingency plan. (Reporting by Fabian Cambero, Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle)