Codelco drowns in $25bn debt as AI-driven copper demand soars

Chile's state-owned copper miner Codelco is struggling under $25 billion of debt even as global copper demand surges, driven largely by AI infrastructure build-out. The company is also under scrutiny following a fatal accident and revelations that it inflated its production figures. The world's largest copper producer is failing to capitalise on the boom in its own commodity.