The bodies of four out of five miners who were trapped in a collapsed section of the El Teniente copper mine in Chile have been located and identified, according to an official announcement made on Sunday. The incident occurred three days prior to the announcement, following a 4.2 magnitude earthquake that struck near the mine, which is located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Santiago, the capital of Chile. The mine's director, Andres Music, reported that rescue workers are still in pursuit of the fifth miner, identified as Moises Pavez.
Rescue operations have been challenging, as the trapped miners were located through GPS devices. However, to reach them, workers had to drill through dozens of meters of solid rock. The cave-in at the El Teniente mine resulted in one worker’s death and injuries to nine others.
Authorities are currently conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the mine's collapse. They are examining whether the earthquake was a natural occurrence or was induced by mining activities at El Teniente. In addition, Chilean prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation to assess compliance with safety standards in the operation of the mine.
El Teniente is recognized as the largest underground copper mine in the world and is owned by the Chilean state company Codelco. Following the collapse, Codelco took immediate action to halt operations at the affected section of the mine and evacuated approximately 3,000 workers from the broader mining site to ensure their safety.
In light of the emergency, the company also canceled a scheduled presentation of its first-half financial results, which was due to take place on Friday morning. This decision underscores the serious nature of the incident and the prioritization of rescue and safety efforts over corporate disclosures.
Chile, known as the world’s largest copper producer, is situated along the seismically active region known as the "Ring of Fire," which encircles the Pacific Ocean. This geographical factor contributes to the geological risks faced by the mining industry in the region.
The tragic incident at the El Teniente mine highlights the potential dangers associated with mining operations in seismically active areas. The ongoing investigation will seek to clarify the circumstances surrounding the collapse and to ensure the enforcement of safety protocols to prevent future incidents. As rescue operations continue, the focus remains on locating the remaining miner and providing support to affected families.
