Chile mine disaster:

First guide shaft to reach miners

CHILE: The fastest of three drills burrowing toward 33 trapped miners could reach its goal this weekend, before it starts widening the shaft enough to pull the men up, if all goes well, by November, Chilean officials said Thursday.

“The T-130 machine is advancing quite well. It’s going to reach the 500 meter mark, we hope, in the next few hours... if present rock conditions continue, it could reach its goal this weekend,” Energy Minister Laurence Golborne told a press conference.

Known also as “Plan B,” the T-130 is opening a narrow shaft to a workshop the trapped miners can access 630 metres below the ground. The shaft, however, will have to be redrilled and widened to 70 centimeters (28 inches) to pull the men up.

Golborne said the drill could reach the workshop this weekend. “Then the drillbit will have to be replaced and, using the shaft as a guide, the grinding process will begin and take several additional weeks.”

Rescue coordinator Rene Aguilar said Wednesday said the T-130 was the fastest option to reach the miners miners trapped since an August 5 cave-in, as long as there are no malfunctions.

COPIAPO, AFP