News: BHP Chile mining firms call for moderation after Boric election win

Chile's mining sector congratulated leftist Gabriel Boric on Sunday after he secured victory in the country's presidential election and called for moderation and dialogue to safeguard the industry in the world's largest copper producing nation.

Boric comfortably beat right-wing rival José Antonio Kast, who conceded defeat on Sunday evening after a divisive election race. Both candidates were from outside the mainstream political parties, though mining firms had been more wary of Boric.

The National Mining Society (Sonami) said in a statement that voters have "sent a clear message" about the need to maintain Chile's economic and social development.

"We trust that the spirit of programmatic convergence, moderation and openness to dialogue shown during the last week of the campaign will prevail," it added.

Boric has pledged to overhaul Chile's market-orientated economic model that dates back to the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, credited for driving decades of growth but also fostering inequality.

The country is also rewriting its constitution, which could see environmental regulations tightened, and lawmakers are looking to raise taxation on mining firms, who are currently benefiting from record high global metals prices.

Boric has said that he would look to create a state lithium firm and criticized privatization of the sector, where Albemarle ALB.N and SQM SQMA.SN are currently the main two players.

State-owned Codelco is the world largest copper miner, but there are many large multinationals in Chile's copper sector including BHP (BHP) , Glencore GLEN.L , Anglo American AAL.L and Antofagasta ANTO.L .