Background on El Teniente Mine and its Significance
El Teniente, owned by the Chilean state-owned company Codelco, is the world’s largest underground copper mine. Spanning 4,500 km of galleries, it produced 356,000 tonnes of copper in the previous year, accounting for 6.7% of Chile’s total copper production.
Accident and Current Rescue Efforts
On Thursday, a collapse at El Teniente resulted in the tragic death of one miner and left five others trapped approximately 900 meters underground. The mine’s operations were subsequently halted on Friday to facilitate rescue efforts.
- Minister of Mines, Aurora Williams, announced the suspension of El Teniente’s activities to aid in the search and rescue mission.
- At least 100 rescuers are participating in the operation, but they have yet to establish contact with the trapped miners.
- The mine’s general manager, Andrés Music, confirmed that the affected galleries are closed and collapsed.
Family’s Concerns and Lack of Information
Jean Miranda, a 31-year-old miner, is among those trapped. His brother Michael expressed frustration to AFP regarding the lack of communication from mine officials about the accident details and support for Jean’s pregnant wife.
“No one has approached my pregnant wife to offer any emotional support or explanation about her husband’s condition,” Michael Miranda said outside Codelco offices in Rancagua, 100 km south of Santiago.
“Event Sísmico”
The accident occurred following a “sísmic event” with a magnitude of 4.2, the origin of which is still under investigation—whether natural or caused by drilling activities.
- The sismologist team is examining the cause of the collapse.
- Nine miners were injured, with most already released from medical care.
- Music described the event as “one of the largest, if not the biggest,” in El Teniente’s history.
Union Leader’s Concerns and Chile’s Mining Safety Record
José Maldonado, a 30-year veteran union leader at El Teniente, has raised concerns about the mine’s capacity and safety. He claims that over-exploitation may have led to instability, potentially causing the collapse.
“The mountain can’t keep up, and it starts to give way,” Maldonado told AFP, alleging that irregularities have been ignored.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Codelco? Codelco is Chile’s state-owned mining company, responsible for managing the country’s copper reserves.
- What is El Teniente? El Teniente is the world’s largest underground copper mine, owned and operated by Codelco.
- How many miners are trapped? Five miners remain trapped following the collapse.
- What caused the accident? The cause is under investigation, with possibilities including a natural sísmic event or instability due to mining activities.
- What is Chile’s role in the global copper market? Chile is the world’s largest copper producer, with 5.3 million tonnes produced in 2024.
- How safe is Chile’s mining industry? Despite the recent accident, Chile’s mining sector is considered one of the safest globally, with a fatality rate of 0.02% in the previous year.
