SANTIAGO, April 16 (Reuters) - Chile's government needs to...

SANTIAGO, April 16 (Reuters) - Chile's government needs to quickly approve a proposal to streamline permitting for the mining industry to unlock and promote investment in the world's top copper-producing country, a top BHP official said on Tuesday

"In Chile it is urgent to improve the permit system to allow companies to approve large investment projects in a timely manner," BHP President Americas Brandon Craig said during a panel at the World Copper Conference, which is being held in Santiago.

"This not only applies to new projects, but also to permits needed to optimize current operations," he added.

Mining companies and industry groups have complained about the extensive permitting process in Chile. In January, the government presented legal reforms to streamline permitting for investments, which can currently reach up to 500 requests from various authorities.

The reforms still must be approved by Congress, where the government has faced strong opposition. The government was able to pass a mining tax reform last year, but a major industry request during the debate was to streamline permitting and reduce start-up times for multi-million dollar copper projects, which is Chile's largest export.

"I hope these reforms are approved quickly so that the industry can unlock large mining investments," Craig said.