Biggest Copper Nation Says Production Decline Is Just a Blip Bloomberg 1 day ago James Attwood (Bloomberg) -- Chile, the top copper-producing nation, expects to be able to navigate both the pandemic and a slew of wage talks to increase output of the metal this year. Popular Searches Production from a country that accounts for a quarter of the world’s mined copper will increase 2-3% from 2020 levels, Mining Undersecretary Edgar Blanco said. Giant mines run by companies including Codelco, BHP Group and Antofagasta Plc have the protocols in place to continue operating through a surge in Covid-19 cases in Chile and tighter restrictions, while upcoming collective bargaining processes should proceed without any major disruptions, he said.