CHILE The South American division of Vancouver-based FINNING INTERNATIONAL has been awarded an $83-million order for a copper project in the northern part of the country. Compania Minera Riochilex, a subsidiary of BHP BILLITON, will put the pit equipment to work at the Spence copper mine.
The sale includes 21 Caterpillar 793C off-highway trucks, two Cat 994D wheel loaders and 15 additional Cat machines and support equipment with a total value of $83 million. Deliveries will take place throughout 2005, with all equipment in operation by December 2005. A Finning maintenance and repair contract covering the first five years of operations is currently being negotiated. The customer also has options on four additional 793C trucks and one additional 994D loader with a combined value of approximately $11 million.
The Spence mine will begin production in mid-2005. At full capacity it will produce 160,000 tonnes of copper cathodes annually. BHP Billiton owns 100% of the project.
Finning International is the world's largest Caterpillar equipment dealer. See its website at www.finning.com.
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