Here is the first video of the 33 miners trapped in a collapsed gold and copper mine in Chile-where they will be for the next three or so months. Apparently the company that owns the gold mine is nearly bankrupt: "San Esteban is in such bad shape that it has neither the equipment nor the money to rescue the men; Chile's state-owned mining company is going to drill the escape tunnel, which will cost about $1.7 million.... On Thursday, the first of many expected lawsuits against San Esteban and the government were filed, and a judge ordered the retention of $1.8 million of company money in anticipation of the suits." The Chilean government has decided to foot the bill for the rescue mission (either because it was the right thing to do or for a boost in their lagging popularity), rather than just leaving the trapped miners there forever.
Friday, August 27, 2010
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Poor San Esteban :(
I have a friend who works (as in engineer) for a Chilean mining company (not this one). She sent me some photos of her typical working day in Atacama desert (above ground), which did not look like they were taken on a planet that could support life (and Atacama desert is, in fact, the only place on this one that does not). I just couldn't believe a human being could work and live in those conditions for months on end without going nuts. So, just because it looks to me like I'd hang myself within 3 days, doesn't mean these men couldn't just kept on singing like that in that mine all the way though Christmas and New Year's.