DJ Poll Shows Most Chileans Oppose Codelco Privatization - Report

SANTIAGO (Dow Jones)--Eighty-four percent of Chileans oppose privatizing state copper giant Corporacion Nacional del Cobre, El Diario Financiero reported Tuesday, citing a local poll.

In recent years, politicians and former executives of the mining company known as Codelco have suggested that listing part of the company would make it more efficient and transparent.

Codelco is the world's largest copper producer and one of the biggest generators of government income.

Conservative President Sebastain Pinera while on the campaign trail last year said he was open to listing a Codelco stake or incorporating private capital, but backtracked before taking office in March.

The majority of Chileans, 79%, say the state is the best manager for Codelco, the newspaper reported, citing the fifth annual Mining Barometer poll conducted by local pollster Mori and Pontificia Universidad Catolica's Mining Center.

In addition, 69% said Codelco has done a good job of managing its resources.

The poll has a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

-By Carolina Pica, Dow Jones Newswires; 56-2-715-8919; carolina.pica@dowjones.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 27, 2010 08:54 ET (12:54 GMT)

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