The authorities do not know the origin of the hole, 32 meters in diameter and 64 deep, and which has increased in size since it was discovered last Saturday.
“This huge sinkhole is something that has not been seen in our community.” Concern is spreading among the almost 13,000 residents of Tierra Amarilla, a municipality located about 800 kilometers north of Santiago de Chile, in the Atacama desert, due to the appearance of a hole near a copper mine. At the time of its discovery, it had a diameter of 25 meters. On Tuesday it already measured 32, with a depth of 64. The authorities are investigating whether its origin is the product of mining activity in the area.
It all started last Saturday. A neighbor spotted the huge sinkhole inside the Alcaparrosa de Candelaria mine, operated by the Canadian company Lundin Mining, and gave the warning. A security perimeter of 100 meters was quickly established around the sinking.
The mayor of the town, Cristian Zúñiga, explained to local media that the population has always feared incidents due to mining operations in the area. “We request that it be possible to clarify why this event occurred, if the collapse is the product of mining activity or if it is of another nature,” he said.
🇨🇱 Chile: they find a giant hole in the ground
👉 The sinkhole is 32 meters in diameter and is located in Atacama, near the Alacaparrosa Mine of Minera Candelaria. Now, the authorities are investigating whether the phenomenon is the product of mining activity in the area. pic.twitter.com/Nf12nmyDBd
Filo.news (@filonewsOK) August 2, 2022
According to a statement from the mining company, “there was no impact on personnel, equipment or infrastructure” and the sinkhole has remained stable since its detection. As a preventive measure, “development work in an area of the Alcaparrosa underground mine has been temporarily suspended,” the company said, adding that no movement has been detected.
The National Service of Geology and Mining of Chile (Sernageomin) has been working since the beginning of the week in the place where the sinkhole occurred. The Andean country is the world’s leading producer of copper, responsible for more than 25% of global supply.
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