The Chilean Miners Could Soon Be Above Ground

Good news for the trapped miners. According to the article below, Chile’s government hopes to have the group out of the collapsed mine later this month after initially saying it would take until Christmas. There are three drills working to reach them and they are making good time. I'm sure that to the men trapped below, every hour saved is precious.    . . . June


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Chilean miners could see light soon:
Eyewitness News: South African construction giant Murray and Roberts said its drill will break through to a group of trapped Chilean miners within the next few days.

After that, the hole left by the pilot drill will be widened to a 70cm diameter to allow a special capsule to pull the 33 men to surface.

The miners are stuck 700 metres underground and are waiting as three separate drills are boring their way down to rescue them.

Fresh reports have said Chile’s government hopes to have the group out of the collapsed mine later this month after initially saying it would take until Christmas.

Murray and Roberts said while the other two drills may well reach the miners earlier, their rescue shaft will not be ready before mid-November. 


The company’s Ed Jardim said, “Our drills are currently 600 metres down of the 700 and that’s the pilot hole. 

Thereafter we’ll start widening the hole to its full diameter. We expect that our pilot hole will break through in the next few days, maybe in a week or 10 days.”



The miners have been trapped underground for two months and are reportedly exercising to stay fit and prepare for their rescue.

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Chile Mine Company collapses With The Collapse of the Mine

In today's economy, it is perfectly understandable that the mine company might not be able to withstand all of the expenses necessary to pay for the recovery of the miners and all of the other incurred expenses. The mine company has had its assets frozen after declaring its bankruptcy. The miners still underground now have the problem of unemployment when they return.
   . . . June


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Mine collapse in Chile heralds collapse of company:
Albuquerque Express Saturday 25th September, 2010
 
While 33 Chilean miners remain trapped 2,000 feet underground, the mine that they work for has had its assets frozen after declaring itself bankrupt.

The mining company San Esteban buckled following the collapse of the main access tunnel of the copper and gold mine in which the men are trapped, but was already over US$10 million in debt by that point

Now, the Chilean government wants the mine to pay for the multi-million dollar rescue operations and pay the miners’ salaries.

An appraiser has been asked to step in and assess the company’s assets in order to determine whether it should be allowed bankruptcy protection.

Meanwhile, the rescue of the miners is on track despite a recent technical malfunction, according to Rene Aguilar, a leading engineer on the rescue team.

One of the Schramm T-130 drills sent down to bore a hole large enough for the trapped miners to be pulled up has broken down at a depth of 147 metres.

Aguiler told the BBC that part of the drill’s hammer had broken off, but reassured the miners’ families that work would resume later in the day.

Officials are still looking at early November as the rescue deadline, more than a month earlier than the Christmas timeframe initially suggested.

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