Workers evacuated after rockfall at Chilean copper mine

A trapped worker was rescued and 12 others were evacuated with light injuries after a rockfall at the new Andes Norte mine level of Chilean state-owned company Codelco's El Teniente Division early on Monday morning.

The accident was caused by seismic movement at the underground mine in O'Higgins region and took place "in the ventilation sublevel of the Andes Norte project .... Emergency protocols were immediately and the sector was isolated," the company's communications team told BNamericas.

The tremor caused damage to some accessways in the mine, trapping one worker from mining infrastructure company Zublin for six hours.

National geology and mining service Sernageomin will begin an accident investigation at the mine.

Work is being done at El Teniente to ensure the continuation of copper and molybdenum production for another 50 years with the incorporation of new underground levels.

The project will allow the addition of around 2Mt of reserves to offset the gradual depletion of ore at what is considered the largest copper deposit in the world, which has been mined since 1905.