An update on the Ministro Hales mine landslide in Chile

A picture has now emerged of the 9 November 2021 Ministro Hales landslide in Chile:-

The 9 November 2021 landslide at the Ministro Hales mine in Chile. Image tweeted by Marcela Hernando.

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This confirms the satellite image that I published on Wednesday, showing that this is a large rockslide in a benched section of slope.

News reports indicate that the landslide was anticipated.  Movement was detected in the wall in July, allowing a plan to be put in place to mitigate the threat.  BNAmericas reports that Codelco have stated that:

“In July – through focused monitoring – the control and contingency plan was designed and defined based on the safety of people, which considered the total closure of all access to the identified area and preventive detention of the adjacent phase”

Codelco report that the landslide occurred in a sterile part of the mine and that operations are unaffected.