Chilean state-owned copper giant Codelco has secured regulatory approval to restart operations in certain sections of its flagship El Teniente mine, more than a week after a fatal tunnel collapse claimed six lives. The green light, granted by Chile’s mining safety authority Sernageomin, allows activity to resume only in areas deemed structurally sound and free from imminent risk.
The restart, however, is not immediate. Codelco said in a statement on Friday that the Labor Inspection Office must still approve its operational plan before mining work can resume. No timeline has been provided for when that final approval—or the restart itself—might happen.
Partial Restart, Strict Safety Conditions
The reopening will be limited to unaffected sectors of El Teniente, while the Andesita section—where the July 31 collapse occurred—remains closed pending further investigation. On that day, a powerful tremor triggered the collapse of tunnels in the new Andesita expansion, which sits within the world’s largest underground copper deposit.
According to Sernageomin, the cleared areas show no structural damage or immediate danger, but the regulator has ordered continuous monitoring of seismic activity and strict adherence to operational safety protocols.
“The restart of operations must be carried out under strict safety standards, prioritizing the protection of worker lives,” Codelco quoted Sernageomin as saying.
Extent of the Damage Larger Than First Reported
Initial estimates put the damaged tunnels at around 700 meters in length, but prosecutors now say the destruction is far more extensive. Aquiles Cubillos, the prosecutor for Chile’s O’Higgins region, told reporters that approximately 3.7 kilometers of passageways were impacted.
The damage reportedly spans two to three zones of the Andesita unit and five to six areas of the Recursos Norte unit. Cubillos’ investigative team inspected four damaged levels of the mine on Friday—excluding the locations where fatalities occurred—and met with Codelco’s technical experts. The team is compiling photographic evidence to later create a detailed reconstruction of the accident’s impact.
Impact on Workers and Operations
In the immediate aftermath of the collapse, Codelco suspended contracts for third-party workers at El Teniente until at least August 13. The mine, which has been in operation for over a century, is a vast underground network stretching more than 4,500 kilometers—a labyrinth of tunnels and galleries running deep beneath the Andes mountains.
The scale of the closure has significant operational implications. El Teniente is not only one of Codelco’s most important assets but also a cornerstone of Chile’s copper output. Any prolonged shutdown could ripple through both the company’s production targets and the global copper market.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities are continuing to assess the root causes of the collapse, including whether seismic activity alone was responsible or if structural or procedural shortcomings played a role. Until those findings are complete, the Andesita section and other damaged areas will remain sealed off.
For now, Codelco faces the delicate task of resuming production without compromising safety, balancing the urgent need to restore output with the equally pressing need to rebuild confidence among its workforce and regulators.
