【Ferro-alloys.com】:Officials of BHP’s Minera Escondida copper miner expressed interest in increasing investments in Argentina’s San Juan province.

"We are focused on growing in America and from that point of view San Juan presents a great attraction in opportunities," René Muga, president of the Chilean mining subsidiary, said during a meeting Tuesday with San Juan governor Sergio Uñac, according to a statement from the provincial government.

Although it was the first meeting BHP has had with the governor and investment amounts were not announced, the Australian giant has 9.9% of Canada’s Filo Mining, a Lundin-group company that is developing the Filo del Sol copper-gold-silver project in the province.

This month BHP received the go-ahead from Brazilian regulators to acquire Australian copper and gold producer OZ Minerals for US$6.6bn.

OZ’s interests include the Antas North copper and gold mine, the Carajás copper project and CentroGold, one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Brazil.

In Peru, BHP has a major share in copper-zinc mine Antamina.

In Chile, it has Escondida, the biggest copper mine in the world, and has operational improvement plans for Spence, among other interests.

• [Editor:Alakay]