Chilean Mine Rescue

AndyF

New member
Hope this all goes well...

What i don't know though, is why they didn't/couldn't juet dig through the collapsed roadway down the mine? Surely it would have been quicker?

Maybe the pics on the web sites aren't giving the true picture....
 

graham

New member
You'd need to know far more about the local geology than, I suspect, anyone on here, before being able to answer that question.
 

ChrisJC

Well-known member
There's a thread on Aditnow on the subject.

I recall there being a number of collapses, some pretty big, so a completely new route being the best option.

I'm impressed they're drilling 3 new shafts in parallel, much better than putting all your eggs in one basket.

Chris.
 

AndyF

New member
I guess it will be interesting to see if they get the mine back into production faster than it took to drill the shafts... :confused:
 

ChrisJC

Well-known member
The company is in financial straits, as the miners on the surface haven't been paid and have been marching in protest!

So I suspect this is the end for this particular mine.

Chris.
 

peterk

Member
The BBC's article shows the debris from the shaft widening  falling down the pilot hole.  Unless the shafts are breaking out in the top of a large stope then the miners will have to shift over 400 m^3 of spoil for each shaft.
 

AndyF

New member
ChrisJC said:
The company is in financial straits, as the miners on the surface haven't been paid and have been marching in protest!

So I suspect this is the end for this particular mine.

Chris.

Might be the end for the mining company, but its a gold mine I think so someone will start it up again...!


But  Idon't get it.... the animation saya the collapse are is at 510m.

So why bore holes down to 700m, instead of intersecting the tunnel just after the 510m collapse area? Probably just a misleading animation, but it does seem odd.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
There seems to be a lot of ballyhoo about lifting them out. They have to stay standing for an hour to be hauled up. I think SRT'ing out of (eg) Golondrinas might be more stressful. It would be for me!
 

AndyF

New member
The consequences of getting "wedged" would be horrific.... apparently there is a trap door in the bottom and a rope so they can lower themselves back down.... 

500m pitch 2 feet diameter? Not very appealing.

Hope it goes well...fingers crossed ...

 

tony from suffolk

Well-known member
I'm disappointed that the media can't seem to give us an accurate description of the mine and more detailed information regarding the drilling procedures.

Nevertheless I think the drilling of the rescue shaft in such a rapid time and to such accuracy is a fantastic achievement. The size of the rescue pod and the depth from which the miners have to be pulled up from has given my (non-caving) friends the heeby-jeebies!
 

bagpuss

Member
I hope it all goes well tomorrow, wouldn't envy the rescue people going down to help co-ordinate the rescue.
 

T pot 2

Active member
I have been watching the extraction of the Chilean miners on the BBC early this morning. What a feat of engineering in order to achieve this. Precision drilling in the extreme. I am stunned at the stamina and the resolve of the Chilean people to achieve this end result.

My thoughts are with the miners and familys caught up in this.

Well done to all concerned !!

Three cheers ! 

Hip Hooray !  :beer:

Hip Hooray !  :beer:

Hip Hooray !  :beer:
 

AndyF

New member
I hope they can make enough money from TV interviews and books that they never have to go back down a mine... It has the possibility of raising all of the families out of poverty.

Good effort by all concerned.
 

whitelackington

New member
I hope the World's mining industry will learn all the lessons of these events.
One possible lesson might be to pre-drill the escape shaft and line it,
(soon after the first ton of mineral has been brought to the surface).

Apparently submariners are trained in sub-sea rescue before they go for their first trip.
If the rescue shaft was created first and the miners were trained first,
they could have been evacuated after the first three weeks.
 

khakipuce

New member
If they knew where to put the rescue shaft, that would kind of indicate that they knew where the collapse was going to happen, so probably better to prevent the collapse  :confused:
 

graham

New member
Only Whitlackington could expect you dig a rescue shaft into a mine before you've actually dug the mine.

One possible lesson might be to pre-drill the escape shaft and line it,
(soon after the first ton of mineral has been brought to the surface).

A ton of material takes up just a couple of cubic metres of space, so the rescue shaft would be errm, right on top of the original access shaft.
 

SamT

Moderator
whitelackington said:
I hope the World's mining industry will learn all the lessons of these events.
One possible lesson might be to pre-drill the escape shaft and line it,
(soon after the first ton of mineral has been brought to the surface).

Apparently submariners are trained in sub-sea rescue before they go for their first trip.
If the rescue shaft was created first and the miners were trained first,
they could have been evacuated after the first three weeks.

o_O  :confused:  ::)

I can only hope that WL's post was tongue in cheek and we all missed the humour.
 
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