SANTIAGO: Work was paused Friday at Chile’s El Teniente underground copper mine, the largest in the world, amid a search for five miners missing after a partial cave-in, the country’s mining minister said.
One miner was killed after the mine – which produces nearly 7% of Chile’s copper, or more than 350,000 tonnes last year – partly collapsed Thursday after a magnitude 4.2 earthquake.
Nine others were injured, none critically.
“We are going to issue a provisional measure to halt operations in the underground sections of El Teniente,” minister Aurora Williams told reporters Friday.
El Teniente is located in the city of Rancagua, about 100km from the Chilean capital Santiago.
Chile is responsible for nearly a quarter of global copper supply, which contributes 10% to 15% to its GDP.
The valuable metal is used in wiring, motors and renewable energy generation.