Anglo American says testing market with Mantoverde, Mantos Blancos sale

By Anthony Esposito and Fabian Cambero

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Anglo American Plc (AAL.L) is testing the market with the sale of its Mantoverde and Mantos Blancos mines in Chile, and prospective buyers from all over have shown interest, the chief executive of the company's copper division said.

"There is quite good interest. But this is very early days. We haven't yet closed the bids," Hennie Faul told Reuters on Wednesday in an interview during the CESCO/CRU conference in Santiago.

Anglo American is also discussing with its partners the "disposal process" of the El Soldado mine and Chagres smelter in Chile and expects a decision in the second or third quarter of 2015, Faul added.

The executive said that the company's overall annual guidance of 720,000 to 750,000 tonnes copper production in 2015 takes into account water shortages at its Los Bronces mine in central Chile, adding that Anglo American was looking for long-term solutions to the water shortages there.

"We have no intention to sell our stake in Los Bronces," Faul said.

(Editing by Ted Botha)