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Two killed in new Copiapó, Chile mining accident

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Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Mining Minister Laurence Golborne, in August 2010.

Another mining accident occurred on Monday, in the city of Copiapó, Chile, where 33 miners had been trapped for 69 days and were rescued on October 13.

Two miners, Homero Aguirre Aguirre, 40, and Daniel Lazcano, 24, were killed in the Los Reyes mine in Quebrada de Puquios, located 65 kilometers (40.4 miles) east of Copiapó, according to La Tercera. Both workers began working in the mine on the same day, and were natives of Cabildo, a town in Valparaíso Region. Mauricio Silva, aged 21, was injured in the eye, and was taken to the Regional Hospital of Copiapó.

According to authorities, the accident occurred due to mishandling of explosives. It was originally reported that only one miner had been killed.

Mining Minister Laurence Golborne told El Mercurio that mining companies "should be careful about the works that are being done in the mines along the country." The Los Reyes copper mine belongs to Sociedad Legal Compañía Minera Del Sur (Del Sur Mining Company, Legal Society). Golborne said that the mine was not authorized to utilize explosives by Sernageomín (National Service of Geology and Mining).


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