SANTIAGO- Chilean copper exports hit $4.157 billion in value in September, up 18.5% from a year earlier amid soaring global prices for the metal, the country's central bank said on Thursday.

The world's top copper producer posted total exports in the month of $7.429 billion, up 24.4% year on year, and clocked a trade surplus of $79 million, the bank added.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero Editing by David Goodman ) ((dave.sherwood@thomsonreuters.com;))