Rescue operations are underway at Chile’s El Teniente mine after a partial collapse, triggered by a tremor, left five miners trapped and claimed the life of one worker.
The incident occurred more than 900 metres underground on Thursday, halting operations at the world’s largest underground copper mine.
Andres Music, general manager of the El Teniente mine, confirmed that more than 100 rescue personnel are involved in the search.
“So far, we have not been able to communicate with them. The tunnels are closed, they are collapsed,” he told reporters on Friday.
Despite the severe conditions, the exact location of the trapped miners has been identified using specialised equipment.
The mine, located in Rancagua approximately 100 kilometers south of Santiago, suspended all operations following the collapse.
The seismic event that triggered the cave-in registered a magnitude of 4.2. Authorities have yet to determine whether the tremor was naturally occurring or related to mining activity.
“This is one of the biggest events, if not the biggest, that the El Teniente deposit has experienced in decades,” said Music, adding that the “next 48 hours are crucial” to the rescue effort.
Among the rescuers are specialists who were involved in the dramatic 2010 rescue of 33 miners in the Atacama Desert, an operation that captured global attention.
Mining Minister Aurora Williams announced a temporary shutdown of the mine, which has been operational since the early 1900s and contains over 4,500 km (2,800 miles) of underground tunnels.
Codelco, the state-owned mining company that operates the site, also postponed its scheduled financial report release to focus on the emergency.
In 2024, El Teniente produced 356,000 tonnes of copper accounting for nearly 7% of Chile’s total output.
The country remains the world’s leading copper producer, supplying about a quarter of the global demand with an estimated 5.3 million tonnes last year.
Chile’s mining industry is renowned for its safety standards, with a mining-related fatality rate of just 0.02% in 2024, according to the National Geology and Mining Service.
However, the country’s position along the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire” makes it especially vulnerable to tremors and geological disruptions.
Rescue teams continue to work around the clock in a race against time to reach the trapped workers.
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