Mining Correspondent MMG’s chief executive said the Chinese-controlled miner was looking at further potential acquisitions as it finishes a $10bn investment in one of the world’s largest copper mines.

Andrew Michelmoresaid MMG was “not in a rush” but suggested that the miner’s largest shareholder, China Minmetals, had been pleased with initial results from the purchase of Las Bambas in Peru and would look at using MMG as a vehicle to expand. “China sees MMG as having delivered,” said Mr Michelmore. “We are earning the right to look at opportunities.”

He said MMG, which has focused on base metals including nickel and zinc as well as copper, could also look “a little bit wider” as part of any Minmetals diversification. MMG — which is 74 per cent owned by Minmetals, a Chinese state miner — and other Chinese partners bought Las Bambas from Glencore in a $7bn deal in 2014, one of the largest transactions completed during what has been a multiyear commodity downturn.