Kinross Gold suspends operations at Chile mine due to strike

March 5 (Reuters) - Kinross Gold Corp K.TO KGC.N said unionized employees went on strike at its Maricunga mine in Chile, forcing the Canadian miner to suspended operations at the site.

The company said on Wednesday the employees went on strike following the failure to agree on a new collective agreement at the mine.

Kinross said it could not predict when the employees would return to work, or the impact on production due to the suspension of operations.

The Maricunga mine, located in central-eastern Chile, produced about 188,000 gold equivalent ounces in 2013.

Kinross said the heap leach facility, which extracts gold-containing ore, and the processing plant at the mine would be operational to meet environmental compliance obligations.

Kinross shares closed at C$5.59 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Its U.S.-listed stock fell 2 percent to $4.96 in extended trading, after closing at $5.06 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting By Kanika Sikka in Bangalore; Editing by Savio D'Souza)

((kanika.sikka@thomsonreuters.com)(within U.S. +1 646 223 8780, outside U.S. +91 80 6749 1130)(Reuters Messaging: kanika.sikka.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: KINROSSGOLD CHILE