Chile approves expansion at BHP's Spence mine – paper

Chilean authorities have approved a $2.5-billion expansion of BHP Billiton's Spence copper mine, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday, though the company has not yet decided whether to go ahead with the project. Chile's Environmental Evaluation Service (SEA) has unanimously approved the project, which is the second-largest mining investment under evaluation in the South American country, the El Mercurio newspaper said.