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
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