Magnitude 6.8 earthquake hits northern Chile, copper mines say unaffected

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck in the mine-heavy northern Chile early on Wednesday, monitoring groups confirmed, though mining companies told Reuters their operations were not impacted. The quake struck at a depth of 145 km (90 miles), the German Research Center for Geosciences said, and its epicentre was about 62 km southwest of San Pedro de Atacama, close to several large copper mines, including Codelco's Chuquicamata and Ministro Hales.

Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, BHP and Antofagasta told Reuters the quake caused no damage or operational problems at their sites. In Chile, a seismic country, mining facilities are built to withstand large earthquakes.

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