A partial collapse at Chile’s El Teniente mine has left five miners trapped, with one confirmed dead. The incident occurred on Thursday after a “seismic event” triggered the cave-in. Rescuers, involving over 100 personnel and using advanced technology, are attempting to reach the stranded workers.
The team is battling 90 metres of rock to access the trapped miners. Chile’s state-owned Codelco group stated that human remains were found, but their identity has yet to be confirmed. The company has pledged to “complete the search”.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric visited families affected by the tragedy and vowed to find all missing workers. The mine’s general manager described finding a body as “saddening”, yet reassuring that rescuers are close to locating the other trapped miners.
El Teniente, one of the world’s oldest mines, has been in operation since the early 1900s. It produces over 4,500km of underground tunnels and accounts for nearly 7% of Chile’s copper output, making it a critical component of global supply.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/03/body-found-in-collapsed-chile-mine-as-search-continues-for-trapped-miners-copper-codelco