News 33 miners are found trapped underground alive

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11056607

It will take at least four months to rescue 33 miners trapped underground in Chile, the head of the rescue operation has said.


Rescuers made contact with the miners by lowering a probe into the mine, 17 days after the men became trapped.


The miners, stuck in a mine shaft shelter some 700m (2,300ft) down, sent up a note saying they were all alive.
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My heart goes out for those people. May whatever vital forces that kept them alive till now, help them endure on.
 
Likewise. I was wondering on this story when I first heard that it could take four months to get them out - like how much by way of food and water do they have down there, et cetera?

However:

Rescuers made contact with the miners by lowering a probe into the mine
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:probe: will look after them.
 
Xyon said:
Likewise. I was wondering on this story when I first heard that it could take four months to get them out - like how much by way of food and water do they have down there, et cetera?
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Chile Wants Advice On Life Support for Trapped Miners
http://nasawatch.com/archives/2010/08/chile-wants-adv.html
Chilean Health Ministry will ask the NASA for advice to the implementation of efficient techniques in pursuit of maintaining the health condition of the 33 miners trapped in San Jose mine, 700 meters deep, in Atacama desert, and who, according to estimates, will not be rescued until 3 months. The initiative of the trans-Andean country's health portfolio refers that at this moment, the miners' living conditions are similar to those experienced by astronauts in a space station. It is known that they eat food specially designed for this purpose.
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Xyon said:
However:
:probe: will look after them.
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:hail::probe:
 
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Yeah, their unfortunate experience will be a little like "Mars 500", except that they'll have bare rock for only comfort. I guess that a power line and small lamps will be quickly sent through the probing holes, so at least they will get some light.

The main concern is probably about keeping their morale above a sustainable limit, else they could suffer from depression and let themselves die (unlike astronauts, they are not prepared to that kind of isolation). A simple telephone line with their families that are camping just above the mine should greatly help to fix that.
 
I read that they only have a 6" diameter shaft at the moment, and need to drill a man sized shaft to get them out. That is quite an operation.

I assume this is a "drift-mine"? It runs horizontally into a mountain. A modern deep mine would have two or more shafts down to the working faces.

In the UK this mining disaster made changes in the law to make two shafts mandatory:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/work/england/tyne/

N.
 
Where is an asgard teletransport system when we need it? :rolleyes: Fuerza Chile!
 
They are now sent food, water, some good and oxygen through the bored shaft.
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Ah, they can already send suplies down. That's very good. So the major thing they'll have to watch out for is that they don't collapse anything while drilling, and that noone down there goes Psycho. If they can run a power and a phone line down there, I'm sure that will help a lot.
 
I'm glad that they're alive and I hope that they can keep them that way. That's got to be brutal down there. I've always said it - I'm not claustrophobic but you would never get me down inside a mine like that. I'd go into space no problem but wouldn't even consider going down into a mine.
 
It is amazing that they are still alive down there. You never hear about the miners actually making it to the shelter. It is also amazing that they actually found out how to get fresh water underground. As for the morale, once they get the video conferencing equipment that they are sending down they should stay in good spirits once they are able to talk to their families.
 
Does anyone know if there is some way the general public can send them support letters? I'm thinking of organizing something at my school to send them positive messages.
 
NASA Watch: "NASA Assists Trapped Miners in Chile".

New Scientist: "How astronauts' experience could help trapped miners".

Canadian Astronaut Bob Thirsk is being brought in! :)
WHAT NOW? Rescuers call in Canadian astronaut for help.


NASA TV Video: "Interview about NASA assistance to trapped miners in Chile".​
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3aH4VQ-TDQ"]YouTube- Interview about NASA assistance to trapped miners in Chile[/ame]
Associated Press Release: NASA TV Airs Interview Excerpts About Assistance To Trapped Miners In Chile.
 
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Mantis said:
I'm glad that they're alive and I hope that they can keep them that way. That's got to be brutal down there. I've always said it - I'm not claustrophobic but you would never get me down inside a mine like that. I'd go into space no problem but wouldn't even consider going down into a mine.
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Going into space is really no different, you're gonna be locked inside a capsule for days or weeks on end. In fact, the miners will have it better than the astronauts once they get communications in high-gear.

In this day and age, manned spaceflight isn't what its cracked up to be. Give it another 50 years and get back to me.
 
Keatah said:
Going into space is really no different, you're gonna be locked inside a capsule for days or weeks on end. In fact, the miners will have it better than the astronauts once they get communications in high-gear.

In this day and age, manned spaceflight isn't what its cracked up to be. Give it another 50 years and get back to me.
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But, in space it feels less claustrophobic due to the microgravity environment.
 
Going into space is really no different, you're gonna be locked inside a capsule for days or weeks on end. In fact, the miners will have it better than the astronauts once they get communications in high-gear.
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Not quite so. You're forgetting about Hygiene, which is precarious in that muddy hole. I heared they already had a case of Funghi outbreak, and they have no showers. There are good chances of one or several of the miners getting seriously ill during these four months.
 
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