Teck Resources Limited copper miners at the Quebrada Blanca project in northern Chile plan to approve a strike after rejecting a final wage offer.

Mr Jorge Flores union official said that the strike will likely begin on February 6th 2012 because the Vancouver based company may seek to extend talks beyond January 31st 2012 when the workers’ contract expires. The miners will complete voting on whether to go on strike later today.

Global copper supply was disrupted last year by a series of strikes in Chile, Indonesia and Peru. Teck produced 86,200 tonnes of the metal at Quebrada Blanca in 2010, about 1.6% of Chile’s total output. The South American country produces about a third of the world’s copper.

In negotiations at its Andacollo copper mine, Teck used a Chilean law that allows mining companies to extend the negotiating period beyond the contract expiration date to reach an agreement with workers on January 7th 2012.

(Sourced from Bloomberg.net)