Chile: Sinkhole Appears on a Mining Land in Tierra Amarilla; Mayor Calls for Quick Probe on the Cause of the Tragedy
A sinkhole in Chile appears in the country's mining land over the weekend, No injuries and casualties were reported as of Tuesday. JOHAN GODOY/AFP via Getty Images

A giant sinkhole appeared in Chile over the weekend, on land that is known to be owned by a mining company.

According to VICE News, the sinkhole that appeared on Chile's land owned by a Canadian mining company, Lundin Mining, is 82 feet or 25 meters in diameter.

Mayor Cristobal Zuniga confirmed the presence of the sinkhole located 413 miles north of Santiago, per the Daily Mail. Zuniga noted that they received a citizen complaint about a sinkhole near the Alcaparrosa mine on Saturday.

The National Service of Geology and Mining (Sernageomin) also announced that they learned about the sinkhole in Tiera Amarilla on Saturday. Sernageonim's director, David Montenegro, confirmed that the said sinkhole is approximately 656 feet to the bottom.

"We haven't detected any material down there, but we have seen the presence of a lot of water," Montenegro added.

As of Tuesday, no injuries have been reported and officials continue to monitor the area.

Geologists are now investigating the sinkhole in Chile.

Chile Sinkhole: Local Mayor Wants Quick Probe on the Land Cavity

The local mayor of Tiera Amarilla, Cristobal Zuniga, wants a quick investigation regarding the sinkhole that appeared in their area.

"The government, Sernageomin, and this company must be held responsible and be investigated quickly regarding what happened and why," Zuniga said, adding that the Sernageonim must clarify if the sinkhole is connected to the mining activity or because of nature.

Zuniga also claimed that the sinkhole in Tiera Amarilla is still growing and active, contending that the land cavity is something not previously seen in their community.

"We are concerned... the fact we are surrounded by mining deposits and subterranean works under our community," Zuniga underscored, adding that they are afraid that a sinkhole may also appear in a populated place, street, or even school.

Canadian Mining Company on Chile's Sinkhole

The sinkhole in Chile appeared on land where a Canadian company, Lundin Mining, rules. In a statement, Lundin Mining confirmed that the sinkhole appeared in its Miners Ojos del Salado operations.

The Canadian company also noted that the development work in the affected area was suspended. Moroever, the company also confirmed that no equipment or infrastructure was impacted by the sinkhole.

Lundin Mining also highlighted that the Minera Ojos del Salado is conducting technical analysis and gathering data to determine the cause of the sinkhole. Furthermore, the Canadian mining company assured that the land cavity in Chile has remained stable since it was detected.

Lundin Mining is known to operate several mines around the world. The company primarily focuses on collecting coppers, zinc, gold, and nickel.

Aside from Chile, Lundin Mining is also operating in Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Sweden, and the U.S.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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