Cape Town – Earlier this week a mysterious sinkhole of around 25 metres in diameter and 200 metres deep was discovered in a mining area in the north of Chile.
Chilean authorities have started to investigate the cause of the sinkhole, as the National Service of Geology and Mining (Sernageomin) sends specialists to the area.
“There is a considerable distance, approximately 200 metres to the bottom,” said the agency's director, David Montenegro. “We haven't detected any material down there, but we have seen the presence of a lot of water,” he said.
Sernageomin reported the closure of areas from the entrance to the work site of the Alcaparrosa mine, located near the sinkhole.
According to Reuters News, Lundin Mining said the sinkhole did not affect any workers or community members.
“The closest home is more than 600 metres away while any populated area or public service are almost a kilometre away from the affected zone,” it said.
Lundin Mining owns 80% of the property and the rest is held by Japan's Sumitomo Corporation.
IOL