Maptek Expertise Helps In The Rescue Of The Miners In Chile

< BACK TO COMPANY starstarstarstarstar   Business - Company Press Release
14th October 2010, 07:42pm - Views: 1174





Misc Miscellaneous MediaNet Operations 1 image

Misc Miscellaneous MediaNet Operations 2 image







MEDIA RELEASE PR41741


Maptek Expertise Helps in the Rescue of the Miners in Chile


ADELAIDE, Australia, Oct. 14 /Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --


   On 11 August, 2010, Maptek received a call from the team that was working on the rescue in San José mine,

asking for help on the drilling control and 3D display to map the drillholes. 


   We immediately sent one of our Mine Engineers, Alvaro Quezada, to the site to help. Following this, Estibaliz

Echabarría from the Maptek I-Site team travelled to the site to conduct surveys of the region. 


   This data was taken into Maptek Vulcan 3D software to create an accurate topographic model and 3D

representation of the complex underground workings to understand where the 33 miners were trapped. 


   Alvaro then helped to design the direction and orientation of the drillhole which targeted the tunnel, named the

Esperanza Drillhole - Hope Drillhole. Maptek Geologist, Sandra Jara, working the shift on 22 August, witnessed the

first contact with the miners when she heard the men tapping on the drill as it entered the chamber where they were

trapped. 


   She immediately telephoned Maptek South American Vice-President Marcelo Arancibia and exclaimed "Marcelo,

there is life down there!"


   Sandra then helped to design and the control the orientation of the next two drillholes that also successfully made

contact with the 33 miners down below. This final drillhole was the one used for the Plan B access shaft that was

used to rescue the men.


   This team work, between staff from companies such as BHP Escondida, Codelco, Collahuasi, Geoatacama,

Geotec and Maptek, was carried out discreetly and efficiently, with the sole focus on achieving the amazing

outcome. 


   Maptek is grateful to Walter Veliz (BHP Escondida), Nicolas Cruz BHP Escondida), Oscar Castro (Codelco),

Andres Sougarret (Codelco) for their assistance and guidance. Maptek is honoured to participate and to be able to

use our skills and technology to help with the rescue.


   Maptek contacts for further information:

   Bob Johnson 

   Maptek Chairman 

   +61 428 400 160


   Marcelo Arancibia 

   Senior Vice-President South America

   +56 97 877 4956 


   Barry Henderson 

   Chief Executive Officer 

   +1303 748 0453


   Jane Ball 

   Marketing Communications

   +61 408 892 194


   Contact Jane Ball for images.





SOURCE: Maptek




To view this and other AsiaNet releases please visit http://www.asianetnews.net






news articles logo NEWS ARTICLES
Contact News Articles |Remove this article