Aerial view of the entrance to the El Teniente mine, a Codelco copper mine in the commune of Machali, near Rancagua, O'Higgins Region, Chile, on August 1, 2025. (Photo by Raul Bravo / AFP)
Santiago: The world's largest underground copper mine was set to resume operating on Sunday, after a deadly cave-in suspended work for more than a week.
Chile's Mining Ministry ordered El Teniente to halt activity on August 1 to allow rescuers to search for five miners trapped after a "seismic event" caused the collapse of a tunnel the day before.
One worker was killed in the collapse, while five others were left missing and later found dead.
Whether the cause of the shaking was due to an earthquake or drilling remains under investigation.
State-owned operator Codelco said normal operations would resume on Sunday.
Chile is the world's largest copper producer, responsible for nearly a quarter of global supply, with about 5.3 million metric tonnes (5.8 million tons) in 2024.
El Teniente contributed 356,000 metric tonnes -- nearly seven percent -- of the country's total copper.
The metal is critical for wiring, motors and renewable energy technology.
Chile's mining industry is considered among the safest in the world, with a fatality rate of 0.02 percent in 2024, according to the National Geology and Mining Service of Chile.
