![]() San José de Copiapó mine during the
2010 mining accident rescue efforts, on August 10. | |
Location | |
---|---|
Location | Copiapó |
City | Atacama Region |
Country | Chile |
Coordinates | 27°09′31″S 70°29′52″W / 27.158609°S 70.497655°W |
Production | |
Products | Copper, Gold |
History | |
Opened | 1889 |
Closed | 2010 |
Owner | |
Company | San Esteban Mining Company |
The San José Mine ( Spanish: Mina San José) is a small copper- gold mine located near Copiapó, Atacama Region, Chile. [1] The mine became known internationally for its collapse in 2010, which trapped 33 miners 700 metres (2,300 ft) underground. [2] Its workings are reached by a long sloping roadway with many spiral turns (a diagram shows ten turns), not by a vertical mineshaft.
The San José Mine is located 45 kilometers northwest of Copiapó. The mine began operations in 1889. [1] In 1957, Jorge Kemeny Letay, a Hungarian immigrant founded the San Esteban Mining Company ( Spanish: Compañía Minera San Esteban). [1]
According to Terra, the mine's annual sales surpassed 20 million dollars. [1]
Between 2003 and 2010, several mining accidents occurred in the mine, causing at least three deaths. [1] In 2007, a geologist was killed in the mine, and led to its closure. In May 2008, SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (National Geology and Mining Service) resumed mining operations at the San José Mine. In July 2010, miner Gino Cortés lost a leg in an accident. [1]
Compañía Minera San Esteban (English: San Esteban Mining Company) advised national authorities on 5 August 2010 that a collapse had occurred at 14:00 local time, and rescue efforts began the next day. National Emergencies Office of Chile reported that day a list of 33 trapped and possibly deceased miners, that included Franklin Lobos, a retired footballer, and Carlos Mamani, a Bolivian miner. [2] The miners were found alive 17 days later, on August 22. [3] Nonetheless, it was not until 69 days after the collapse on October 13, 2010, that the first miner, Florencio Ávalos, was rescued. [4]
San Esteban Mining Company is considering bankruptcy after the miners are rescued. [5] San José is the only mine owned by San Esteban. [5] President of Chile Sebastián Piñera said on October 12 that "the mine will remain closed until security measures that guard the life and dignity of the workers are established."[ citation needed]
![]() San José de Copiapó mine during the
2010 mining accident rescue efforts, on August 10. | |
Location | |
---|---|
Location | Copiapó |
City | Atacama Region |
Country | Chile |
Coordinates | 27°09′31″S 70°29′52″W / 27.158609°S 70.497655°W |
Production | |
Products | Copper, Gold |
History | |
Opened | 1889 |
Closed | 2010 |
Owner | |
Company | San Esteban Mining Company |
The San José Mine ( Spanish: Mina San José) is a small copper- gold mine located near Copiapó, Atacama Region, Chile. [1] The mine became known internationally for its collapse in 2010, which trapped 33 miners 700 metres (2,300 ft) underground. [2] Its workings are reached by a long sloping roadway with many spiral turns (a diagram shows ten turns), not by a vertical mineshaft.
The San José Mine is located 45 kilometers northwest of Copiapó. The mine began operations in 1889. [1] In 1957, Jorge Kemeny Letay, a Hungarian immigrant founded the San Esteban Mining Company ( Spanish: Compañía Minera San Esteban). [1]
According to Terra, the mine's annual sales surpassed 20 million dollars. [1]
Between 2003 and 2010, several mining accidents occurred in the mine, causing at least three deaths. [1] In 2007, a geologist was killed in the mine, and led to its closure. In May 2008, SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (National Geology and Mining Service) resumed mining operations at the San José Mine. In July 2010, miner Gino Cortés lost a leg in an accident. [1]
Compañía Minera San Esteban (English: San Esteban Mining Company) advised national authorities on 5 August 2010 that a collapse had occurred at 14:00 local time, and rescue efforts began the next day. National Emergencies Office of Chile reported that day a list of 33 trapped and possibly deceased miners, that included Franklin Lobos, a retired footballer, and Carlos Mamani, a Bolivian miner. [2] The miners were found alive 17 days later, on August 22. [3] Nonetheless, it was not until 69 days after the collapse on October 13, 2010, that the first miner, Florencio Ávalos, was rescued. [4]
San Esteban Mining Company is considering bankruptcy after the miners are rescued. [5] San José is the only mine owned by San Esteban. [5] President of Chile Sebastián Piñera said on October 12 that "the mine will remain closed until security measures that guard the life and dignity of the workers are established."[ citation needed]