Beyond the price of copper and gold. Trapped Chilian Cu and Au miners safe in spectacular rescue

This good news follows a spate of tragic outcomes for the World's mining communities, from China through Central and Eastern Europe.(The Chile Cu and Au mine collapsed on 5th Aug 2010.)

So after the euphoria,of this resounding success by Chile and the International Community this remains a dire warning to the World's mining community of the continuing effort necessary to ensure proper, civilised -mane safety regulations and measures in practice.

1st Encouraging News
August 23, 2010 · Posted in News
"Deep copper and Gold mine Accident, 33 Miners Survive after 17 days Trapped in." (cf Ref below)

"Copiapo, Chile – When 33 men found alive after 17 days trapped in a deep copper and gold mine, the biggest challenge now, the preservation of their mental health in the months can take to cut a tunnel large enough for them to get out .
Chileans were euphoric Sunday after a small drill bit broke through 2257 feet (688 meters) of solid rock in an emergency refuge where the miners had gathered to reach. The men are soon connected two notes at the end of a probe that rescuers pulled to the surface, announcing in large red letters: “All 33 of us are fine in the asylum.”
“Today all of Chile is crying with excitement and joy,” said Sebastian Pinera President in the mine.

Mine officials and relatives of the workers had hoped that the men reached a shelter under the place where the tunnel collapsed August 5 at the San Jose gold and copper mine about 530 miles (850 kilometers) north of the capital Santiago. But she said the reception in case of emergency air and food supplies would last only 48 hours.

The miners seemed to understand that their salvation may be slow, according to one of them, Mario Gomez, perhaps the oldest of the 63 trapped men, who wrote a letter to his wife.


Gomez said that the miners used for light vehicles and an excavator to dig a channel for water to get underground.

It was unclear whether the air threatened to walk.

Rescuers had drilled repeatedly in an attempt to reach the shelter, but failed seven times. They blamed the errors on the maps of the mining company. According to a note from Gomez, at least some of the earlier probes were close enough that the trapped miners heard them. The eighth attempt finally succeeded.

Gomez noted that the President read aloud on live television, focusing on expressions of faith and love for his family. But through frustration showed in a line, where he declared that “this company has to modernize.”
Chile is the world’s top copper producer and a leading producer of gold, and has some of the most advanced in the world mining. But both the company that the mine, San Esteban and the National Mining and Geology Service held criticized for allegedly not complying with regulations. In 2007, an explosion at the San Jose mine killed three workers."
REFERENCE 1.

Excellent News
Chile Mine Rescue, 32 of 33 miners were above ground after trapped deep underground for 69 days
October 14, 2010 · Posted in News · Comment


SAN JOSE MINE, Chile miners who were trapped deep underground for 69 days were drawn to the rescue for a Wednesday in a process that was faster than expected and people around the world was transfixed.
The miners rose to the surface in a red, white and blue rescue capsule called “The Phoenix”. By Wednesday noon, 32 of the 33 miners were above ground. As they came to the Chilean newspaper websites of keeping a running score, almost like a sporting event. “Things have gone extraordinarily well so far.

REFERENCE 2

We now know all have been rescued. The spectacular rescue has been the Global Event of The Week, for it's length, it's difficulty, and the courage of the miners, for the attitude of all invoved.