A gaping hole in the earth has held residents captive in fear for three long years. In Tierra Amarilla, a mining town deep in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a giant sinkhole appeared, and it still sits open. This massive pit looms dangerously close to homes, a health center, and a kindergarten.
A recent court decision, however, has brought a sliver of hope. This month, Chile’s environmental court ordered a mining company to fix the severe damage. The ruling finally gives the anxious community something concrete to look forward to.
Minera Ojos del Salado, a subsidiary of Canada’s Lundin Mining, must now take action. The company’s Alcaparrosa copper mine is directly linked to the sinkhole’s appearance in 2022. The court found that the mining activities caused significant and lasting harm to the environment.
The court’s order is clear. The company must protect the region’s water sources. They also have to fill in the huge hole. This cylindrical sinkhole reaches 64 meters deep. Its opening at ground level measures 32 meters across.
Living near such a massive void creates constant worry. Rudy Alfaro, whose home is only 800 meters from the edge, described her family’s fear. She explained that the sinkhole even spewed out large dust clouds during a recent earthquake, which only intensified their anxiety.
The court upheld a previous order to shut down the Alcaparrosa mine. Environmental regulators had initially issued this closure in January. It was confirmed that “irreversible damage” occurred to the local aquifer, which is an underground layer of water-bearing rock. Water had flowed into the mine, making the surrounding rock layers weak.
Rodrigo Saez, the regional water director, highlighted the grim reality. He noted that this damage severely impacts an area already struggling with water shortages. The community relies heavily on these already limited water resources.
Lundin Mining has stated its commitment to cooperate. The company says it will work closely with the authorities. They plan to carry out the court-ordered restoration measures as quickly as possible.
Source: Reuters
