May 25 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake struck Chile's

important mining region of Antofagasta ( ANFGF ) on Monday afternoon,

disrupting operations at some mines but ultimately sparing lives

and critical infrastructure, authorities said.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the heart of the world's

biggest copper-producing country, though major miners reported

limited damage. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the

earthquake's depth at 109 kilometers (68 miles).

Chilean state ‌copper miner Codelco halted some activities

due to lack of visibility in pits or interruption of electricity

supplies in specific areas, a spokesperson said.

Miners BHP and Antofagasta ( ANFGF ) both said their

operations were not affected by the earthquake.

Ricardo Munizaga, the regional director for Chile's disaster

agency, SENAPRED, told local news channel 24 Horas that while

the earthquake triggered landslides in some production areas,

there had been no reports of injuries or other major

emergencies.

Residents lost power and saw some cuts to water supply in

the city of Calama, home to many miners, Munizaga said, but key

infrastructure was otherwise not affected.

Mining companies activated their emergency protocols and

temporarily halted some operations to inspect facilities, he

added.

A substantial part of Chile's output comes from the

Antofagasta ( ANFGF ) region.