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Stunning images have emerged of a massive sinkhole that has opened up near an underground mining operation in northern Chile.
The sinkhole, which Chilean officials estimate is 105 feet wide and 210 feet deep, first appeared on Saturday.
“Upon detection, the area was immediately isolated and the relevant regulatory authorities were notified,” Lundin Mining, a Canadian company that owns the site, said in a statement. “There has been no impact on staff, equipment or infrastructure.”
The company also said the sinkhole has remained “stable since its detection.”
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Aerial view taken Monday, Aug. 1, showing a large sinkhole that appeared over the weekend near the mining town of Tierra Amarilla, Copiapó province, in Chile’s Atacama Desert. (Johan Godoy/AFP via Getty Images)
“The Alcaparrosa mine, which is part of the Minera Ojos del Salado operation, is continuously monitored and no movement related to the surface sinkhole has been detected,” he added.
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It was not immediately clear why the sinkhole opened.
A 328-foot safety perimeter has been erected around the hole near the Alcaparrosa mine operated by Canadian firm Lundin Mining. (Johan Godoy/AFP via Getty Images)
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Chile’s National Geology and Mines Service, also called Sernageomin, said its staff has visited the site to gather information and prepare a technical report.
Lundin Mining says the sinkhole has remained stable since its detection. (Reuters/Johan Godoy)
“Professionals from the Regional Management and the central level of Sernageomin went around the area checking what had happened, to see if there were any cracks, and entered the mine to see the actual condition,” said David Montenegro, the its national director.