2010 Copiapó mining accident 2010 Copiapó mining accident The 2010 Copiapó mining accident, also known then as the "Chilean mining accident", began on Thursday, 5 August 2010 with a cave-in at the San José copper–gold mine, located in the Atacama Desert north of the regional capital of Copiapó, in northern Chile. Thirty-three men, trapped underground and from the mine's entrance via spiraling underground ramps, were rescued after 69 days. After the state-owned mining company, Codelco, took over rescue efforts from the mine's owners, exploratory boreholes were drilled, and seventeen days after the accident a note was found taped to a drill bit pulled back
SB-33 mine SB-33 mine The SB-33 is a small Italian minimum metal blast type anti-personnel mine formerly manufactured by "Misar", that entered service in 1977. The SB-33 can be emplaced by hand or scattered using the helicopter mounted SY-AT system. The body of the mine is made of two glass reinforced polycarbonate halves, with the top surface having a central neoprene pressure pad. The body has an irregular shape to make the mine harder to distinguish on the ground. To arm an SB-33, a small pin is removed from the side of the mine. After the mine has been armed, gradual pressure