Chile's economy shrank by 12.4 percent in June compared to the same month in 2019 as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to bite, the Central Bank said Monday. It was a better result than expected, largely thanks to Chile's mining industry that has been kept operational throughout the outbreak. The government had expected a fall of 15-17 percent. "It's not as bad as we thought," said Economy Minister Lucas Palacios, who added that the economy could be "seeing the light at the end of the tunnel." June was the month in which Chile experienced its largest increase in new coronavirus cases and deaths, yet mining activity increased. Construction and the service industry were the hardest hit by health regulations aimed at slowing the spread of the virus, while business and manufacturing also suffered greatly. Seasonally adjusted GDP in June rose by 1.7 percent compared to May thanks to a 2.2 percent increase in mining, although non-mining activities dropped by 14 percent. Mining accounts for 10-15 percent of Chile's GDP. The country is one of the worst hit nations in the world by the coronavirus pandemic with almost 360,000 cases and more than 13,400 deaths, including those considered probable. pa/pb/mr/bc/ft