Reuters reported that Chile's influential mining association, Sonami sees copper prices averaging USD 3 per lb in 2010 compared with an expected USD 2.30 per lb in 2009 as the world economy recovers from the worst of the crisis.

Mr Alvaro Merino the group's head of studies said that the association sees mining investment in Chile, the world's top produce of copper at around USD 45 billion between 2009 and 2016. He said that growing investment will propel the country's annual copper output to 7.7 million tonnes in 2017 from around 5.4 million in 2008.

(Sourced from Reuters)