Chile announces permanent closure of mining areas connected to giant sinkhole

Chile has decided to permanently shut mining stopes directly related to a giant sinkhole that opened in early August this year. Mining minister Marcela Hernando met with union members, mine workers and technical experts who are studying the sinkhole on Friday before making the announcement.

"The sector of the Gaby stopes, that are directly related to the subsidence, are closed definitively and will never be exploited again," Hernando said. The sector of stopes in question are in the Alcaparrosa copper mine in northern Chile.

The minister added that the government is working on recovering water from an aquifer that was damaged by the sinkhole.

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"We're interested in recovering 1.3 million cubic metres of water that are currently stagnant in the depth," Hernando said. "Our intention is to return them to the aquifer, for which we're studying multiple alternatives."

On Thursday, Canadian-owned Lundin Mining Corp's copper mine was charged by Chile's SMA environmental regulator for causing "very serious" and "irreparable environmental damage" to the aquifer. A "serious" charge for overextraction and two minor ones related to transporting minerals was also made.

The regulator said the main infractions were overextraction and construction outside of environmentally approved zones.

The government said it was planning to reopen parts of the mine where conditions allowed to avoid the loss of jobs.

Canada's Lundin Mining Corp owns 80 per cent of the property, while Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corp hold the remaining 20 per cent.

The company could be fined the equivalent of more than $13 million, as well as face closure or have its environmental permit revoked.

In a statement, the company said it was analyzing the regulator's decision and has been collecting data on the sinkhole's causes.

"The company is convinced, based on the data collected and analyzed to date, that multiple factors influenced the formation of the sinkhole in the terrain of our site," the statement said. "With mining being a relevant activity."

In mid-August, the SMA ordered "urgent and transitory" measures while investigating the causes of the 36.5-metre-diameter hole in Tierra Amarilla.

(With inputs from agencies)