Antofagasta, the Chile-based copper producer, is considering acquisitions in central Asia and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Marcelo Awad, chief executive, announced yesterday that pre-tax profits for 2007 fell 3.8 per cent to $2.75bn (£1.37bn) but the experience of developing the Reko Diq copper project in Pakistan had given the London-listed group confidence to look at countries away from its Latin American base.