SANTIAGO -(Dow Jones)- On the 22nd strike day, talks between union leaders and management for the Spence copper mine in Chile reached another stalemate Tuesday, a union leader said. The government Labor Office invited both sides to resume talks Monday, but these ended Tuesday after the mining company made a lower wage and benefits offer than the one union members rejected before the start of the Oct. 13 strike, union President Andres Ramirez said. Spence, owned by global diversified miner BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP, BHP.AU), last year produced about 165,000 metric tons of copper in the form of cathodes, which are large sheets of 99.99% pure copper. Ore extraction at the mine shut down shortly after the strike began, but the industrial processes used to make cathodes have continued at a minimal pace. The union estimates the mine has lost about $3 million a day on the cut in ore extraction and cathode production. On Monday, leaders from the Mining Federation of Chile union umbrella group met with the Labor Minister and officials from the Mining Ministry, seeking their mediation to end the strike. "We're open to government mediation, but the company has to be willing to negotiate with us," Ramirez said. Spence officials weren't immediately available for comment. - By Carolina Pica, Dow Jones Newswires; 56-2-820-4244; carolina.pica@dowjones.com
