Earthquake Strikes in Northern Chile Copper Area
Date: 11-Sep-08
Country: CHILE
The quake hit 63 miles (100 km) east of Iquique, Chile, the agency said, near the country's large copper mining areas.
Anglo American's Collahuasi mine is located near Iquique. Officials at the mine were not immediately available for comment, and an Anglo American official said he was unaware of any quake. Chile is the world's top copper producer.
"Things are calm now after a quake which was felt intensely by the local population," Miriam Escobar, provincial governor of Iquique, told Reuters.
"There are some reports of landslides in the region, but no damage has been reported."
The USGS earlier measured the earthquake magnitude at 6.1, then revised the figure downward.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Monica Vargas)