A gigantic sinkhole the size of a tennis court that has developed nearby a copper mine in the Atacama desert has drawn the attention of Chilean experts.
The hole, which is roughly 32 meters (104 feet) across and twice as deep, formed over the weekend about 800 kilometers (almost 500 miles) north of Santiago, according to a statement from the National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin).
Experts were sent to investigate the hole. Around the hole in the Tierra Amarilla municipality, next to the Alcaparrosa mine run by Canadian company Lundin Mining, a 100-meter security barrier has been established.
The sinkhole has remained stable since its discovery, the business claimed in a statement, adding that there has been “no harm to workers, equipment, or infrastructure. The Alcaparrosa underground mine’s development activity in one region has been temporarily paused as a precaution, the firm stated.