BHP says Cerro Matoso needs month for full output

SYDNEY, April 1 (Reuters) - BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc's (BHP.AX)(BLT.L) Cerro Matoso nickel mine in Colombia could need about a month or more before returning to full production following a month-long strike, a company spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

Force majeure is still in place and work is progressively returning to site," the spokeswoman, Samantha Evans, said from BHP's headquarters in the Australian city of Melbourne.

"We'll ramp up during April and May," Evans said.

She said it was too early to measure the current production levels at the mine.

"They are only just returning to work now," she said.

Unionized workers at the mine accepted a company offer on Sunday to end the four-week strike over wages and the use of outside contract workers [ID:nN30337807].

The strike supported international nickel prices MNI3 by fuelling concerns that world supplies would suffer. Cerro Matoso accounts for around 4 percent of the global supply of the metal, which is used in steel making.

The mine in the northern province of Cordoba produced about 51,000 tonnes of nickel in the 12 months ended June 30.

BHP declared force majeure on Friday and said it was working with customers to keep them informed for the duration of the declaration. (Reporting by James Regan)