Rancagua [Chile], August 3 (ANI): The death toll from the partial collapse at Chile’s El Teniente copper mine has risen to two, after human remains were discovered during the ongoing search for five missing workers, state-owned mining company Codelco said Saturday, according to Al Jazeera.
“We know this news hits the families of our colleagues and our entire mining community hard,” said Andres Music, the mine’s general manager, in a statement cited by Al Jazeera.
The discovery comes days after the collapse, triggered by a seismic event, trapped six workers more than 900 meters below ground at the world’s largest underground copper mine, located in Rancagua, about 100 kilometers south of Santiago. One miner was previously confirmed dead, prompting a halt in operations at the century-old mine.
“This discovery fills us with sadness, but it also shows us that we are in the right place, that the strategy we followed led us to them,” Music added, confirming that search efforts would continue.
At least 100 personnel have been involved in the rescue operation. The location of the trapped workers was identified using specialized equipment, the mine operator stated, as per Al Jazeera.
Codelco’s president, Maximo Pacheco, said during a news conference on Friday, “We will do everything that is humanly possible to rescue the five trapped workers.”
“All of our experience, all of our knowledge, all of our energy and all of our strength are dedicated to this cause and to seeing this through,” Pacheco added.
Minister for Mining Aurora Williams earlier ordered a temporary suspension of operations at the El Teniente mine, which was established in the early 1900s and spans over 4,500 kilometers of underground tunnels.
According to Al Jazeera, the mine produced 356,000 tonnes of copper last year—accounting for nearly 7 percent of Chile’s total output. Chile remains the world’s largest copper producer, generating approximately 5.3 million tonnes in 2024.
The cave-in followed a seismic event on Thursday afternoon, registering a magnitude of 4.2. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the tremor was naturally occurring or induced by mining activity.
“It is one of the biggest events, if not the biggest, that the El Teniente deposit has experienced in decades,” Music said.
Al Jazeera reported that the search team includes rescuers from the famed 2010 operation in the Atacama Desert, which successfully brought 33 trapped miners to the surface after more than two months underground.
Chile’s mining industry is considered among the safest in the world, with a reported fatality rate of just 0.02 percent last year, according to the National Geology and Mining Service. However, the country is situated along the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire.”
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