ANTOFAGASTA, Chile, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Workers at BHP Billiton's BHP.AX BLT.L Escondida copper mine in Chile walked off the job on Thursday morning with buses sent to replace the night shift arriving empty, a union spokesman told Reuters.
A planned strike at Escondida will "officially" start at 8 a.m. local time (1100 GMT), said mine spokesman Carlos Allendes. BHP has said the mine will not produce copper during the strike.