BHP Billiton advances hunt for copper in Ecuador
Its local unit will spend about US$82m on exploration and seeks to add staff in one of the world's last mining frontiers
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BHP Billiton Ltd, the world's biggest miner, has opened an office and is seeking to add staff in Ecuador as it advances a search for copper in a nation that's becoming the sector's exploration hot-spot.
Melbourne-based BHP's local unit, Cerro Quebrado, will spend about US$82 million on exploration, having established a base in the capital, Quito, and advertised for workers including a senior geologist. The value of Ecuador's mining sector could rise to US$7.9 billion by 2021 from US$1.1 billion this year as major players arrive, according to Fitch Group's BMI Research.
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