By Fabian Cambero and Aislinn Laing
Sept 3 (Reuters) - Chilean state miner Codelco halted theoperations of three out of four furnaces at its Ventanas copperfoundry on Monday morning after high levels of sulphur dioxidewere detected, it said in a statement.
Codelco said levels of the gas went 20 percent over theaccepted limit for five minutes, prompting it to shut down thefurnaces as a "voluntary and preventative measure" in theindustrial area of Ventanas, 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeastof Santiago.
The company's action comes just over a week after more thana hundred local residents sought medical treatment for nauseaand vomiting following another gas leak in the same industrialzone.
Amid protests by local residents, the government claimedstate-run energy firm ENAP was to blame but the company hasdenied the claim. Codelco was cleared of any involvement in thatleak at another facility.
The state-owned copper miner, the largest in the world, haspaid fines for previous excess emissions in area.
It said in its statement that on this occasion there hadbeen no infringement of environmental regulations, while thegovernment confirmed separately that no injury or illness hadbeen reported.
A company spokesman confirmed to Reuters that there would bea "minor impact" on production.
(Reporting by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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