Peru copper output flat at 216,955 tons in February

LIMA, April 16 (Reuters) - Copper output in Peru, the world's third-largest producer of the red metal, was virtually flat in February from the same month a year ago, data from the nation's energy and mines ministry showed on Wednesday.

Output landed at 216,955 metric tons, up just 0.01% from the year-ago month, according to the ministry.

Production largely came from the MMG Ltd-owned 1208.HK Las Bambas nine, whose output jumped 58.4% despite two days of interrupted transit of copper concentrate, the ministry said.

Peru put out 2.74 million tons of copper last year, a slight drop from 2023 in its first decrease after four years on the rise.

Copper production in the Andean nation is expected to climb between 2% and 4% this year, Julia Torreblanca, head of Peru's national mining, oil and energy society, told Reuters last week.

Peru fell to No. 3 copper producer worldwide in 2023 after being overtaken by the Democratic Republic of Congo. Chile is the world's top producer.