Shocked authorities have begun investigating a huge sinkhole that mysteriously opened in the ground near a copper mine. Geology specialists in northern Chile have begun inspections after the large hole, thought to measure around 25 metres (82 feet) in diameter, opened close to the Canadian Lundin Mining site at Alcaparrosa over the weekend.
The sinkhole, which is about 200 metres (656 feet) deep, is located about 665 kilometres (413 miles) to the north of the nation’s capital Santiago. The National Service of Geology and Mining became aware of the sinkhole on Saturday and has since sent specialist engineers to the location, according to the agency’s director David Montenegro.
He said in a statement: “There is a considerable distance, approximately 200 metres, to the bottom. We haven’t detected any material down there, but we have seen the presence of a lot of water.”
