All of the 33 Chilean miners, trapped for more than two months 2,200 feet below the surface, have been brought up to the surface using the ingenious capsule, designed by NASA and built by the Chilean navy. The capsule traveled up & down a shaft that was 26″ wide.  When we saw the first miner step out of the capsule and onto the surface of Earth, nearly a 1/2 mile above the cavern where the miners were trapped, we all witnessed a wondrous moment.

I wondered about the geology of this mine, and the geology of this particular area, and wondered if the geology of the mine contributed to the their survival and ultimate rescue.

In an interesting article, written early into the rescue attempt, the igneous rock of this copper and gold mine, and its structural characteristics might have played an important role in the survival of the miners.  Here, from the article, is what I mean by that:

The gallery where the miners took refuge more than 2,200 feet below ground is at least 1.2 miles long, with easily enough air to last 17 days or more, said Gustavo Lagos, a professor at the Catholic University of Chile’s Center for Mining.

“The caves, the tunnels, that is what saved them,” agreed Wolfgang Griem, director of the geology department at the University of Atacama.

The Atacama Desert that surrounds Copiapo is considered the driest place on Earth. Some parts have not seen a single drop of rain since recordkeeping began.

Yet inside the mine, the igneous rock walls are seamed with clay that contains lots of water, which Lagos said he could see beading up and dripping down the walls behind the miners in video images from their emergency chamber.

The moist environment enabled the miners to carve water from the mine floor with a bulldozer to supplement stored industrial water. The internal runoff also means there is an essentially unlimited drinking supply, though Lagos said it could be acidic and cause minor health problems.

For fuller details on the mining disaster, and the subsequent rescue mission, you might visit this page.