CHINA MINE DISASTER
A total of 22 workers were trapped underground in the Hushan gold mine on the outskirts of Yantai, on China’s northeast coast, following an explosion on January 10.
Rescue channel
Wider than the other boreholes but still in early stages
Main mine shaft
Blocked after an explosion
Smaller air shafts
Cage is usually used to lower miners and equipment to the lower shafts
Contact boreholes
Three channels successfully drilled to reach miners for communication and supplies
100m
Borehole no.9 in progress at this depth
193 m
Jan. 12 clearance
Command team clears the shaft down to this depth
200m
Explosion
on Jan. 10
Caused major damage to the mine shaft below, leaving miners trapped
Shaft
The blockage
Jan. 13 clearance
Another 117 m of the shaft is cleared in one day down to this depth
300m
310 m
Borehole no.6 in progress and heading for shaft 4
340 m
Jan. 14 clearance
Another 130 m cleared
350 m
Jan. 15
357 m
Jan. 20
Cleared to this depth and
teams are fitting a lift tray
Major blockage
Much worse than feared, officials said. 100 metres thick and weighs some 70 tonnes.
400m
Shaft
no.2
Shaft
no.3
500m
Shaft
no.4
Borehole still in progress but less than 50 m away from shaft 5
Boreholes
connected
Two channels have allowed communication and supplies
595 m
Mine shaft no. 5
11 miners trapped
inside but one has died
600m
One borehole connected
630 m
Mine shaft no. 6
One miner known
to be trapped
Rescue channel
Wider than the other boreholes but still in early stages
Contact boreholes
Three channels successfully drilled to reach miners for communication and supplies
Main mine shaft
Blocked after an explosion
Smaller air shafts
Cage is usually used to lower miners and equipment to the lower shafts
100m
Borehole no.9 in progress at this depth
193 m
Jan. 12 clearance
Command team clears the shaft down to this depth
200m
Explosion on Jan. 10
Caused major damage to the mine shaft below, leaving miners trapped
Horizontal
shaft
300m
The blockage
310 m
Jan. 13 clearance
Another 117 m of the shaft is cleared in one day down to this depth
Borehole no.6 in progress and heading for shaft 4
340 m
Jan. 14 clearance
Another 130 m cleared
350 m
Jan. 15
357 m
Jan. 20
Cleared to this depth and
teams are fitting a lift tray
Major blockage
Much worse than feared, officials said. 100 metres thick and weighs some 70 tonnes.
400m
Shaft
no.2
Shaft
no.3
500m
Shaft
no.4
Borehole still in progress but less than 50 m away from shaft 5
Boreholes
connected
Two channels have allowed communication and supplies
595 m
Mine shaft no. 5
11 miners trapped
inside but one has died
600m
One borehole connected
630 m
Mine shaft no. 6
One miner known
to be trapped
Exploration
channel
Rescue channel
Wider than the other boreholes but still in early stages
Another borehole is in progress to inspect other areas of the mine
Contact boreholes
Three channels successfully drilled to reach miners for communication and supplies
Main mine shaft
Blocked after an explosion
Smaller air shafts
Cage is usually used to lower miners and equipment to the lower shafts
100m
Borehole no.9
in progress at
this depth
193 m
Jan. 12 clearance
Command team clears the shaft down to this depth
200m
Explosion on Jan. 10
Shaft
Caused major damage to the mine shaft below, leaving miners trapped
300m
The blockage
310 m
Jan. 13 clearance
Another 117 m of the
shaft is cleared in one day
down to this depth
Borehole no.6 in progress and heading for shaft 4
340 m
Jan. 14 clearance
Another 130 m cleared
350 m
Jan. 15
357 m
Jan. 20
Cleared to this depth and
teams are fitting a lift tray
Major blockage
Much worse than feared, officials said. 100 metres thick and weighs some 70 tonnes.
400m
Shaft no.2
Shaft no.3
500m
Shaft no.4
Borehole still in progress but less than 50 m away from shaft 5
Boreholes
connected
Two channels have allowed communication and supplies
595 m
Mine shaft no. 5
11 miners trapped inside
but one has died
600m
630 m
Mine shaft no. 6
One miner known
to be trapped
One borehole connected
Exploration channel
Another borehole is in progress to inspect other areas of the mine
Rescue channel
Wider than the other boreholes but still in early stages
Contact boreholes
Three channels successfully drilled to reach miners for communication and supplies
Main mine shaft
Blocked after an explosion
Smaller air shafts
Cage is usually used
to lower miners and
equipment to the
lower shafts
100m
Borehole no.9
in progress at
this depth
193 m
Jan. 12 clearance
Command team clears
the shaft down to this depth
200m
Explosion on Jan. 10
Caused major damage to
the mine shaft below, leaving
miners trapped
Horizontal
shaft
300m
The blockage
310 m
Jan. 13 clearance
Another 117 m of the
shaft is cleared in one day
down to this depth
Borehole no.6
in progress and
heading for shaft 4
340 m
Jan. 14 clearance
Another 130 m cleared
350 m
Jan. 15
357 m
Jan. 20
Cleared to this depth and
teams are fitting a lift tray
Major blockage
Much worse than feared,
officials said. 100 metres thick
and weighs some 70 tonnes.
400m
Shaft no.2
Shaft no.3
500m
Shaft no.4
Borehole still in progress
but less than 50 m away
from shaft 5
595 m
Boreholes connected
Mine shaft no. 5
Two channels have allowed
communication and supplies
11 miners trapped inside
but one has died
600m
630 m
Mine shaft no. 6
One borehole connected
One miner known
to be trapped
Authorities have mounted a massive operation to rescue the miners. About 600 people are involved in the rescue, with as many as 25 ambulances waiting at the scene, as well as neurosurgeons, trauma specialists and psychologists.
One miner is confirmed to have died, while 11 are known to be alive. The remaining 10 are missing.
The blast went unreported for 30 hours, resulting in the sacking of two officials.
Areas with
visible drilling
Rescue shaft
Borehole no. 10
being drilled in
this area
Main mine shaft
Other areas with
visible drilling
Areas flattened
for rescue
operations
Satellite image: Google
Other areas with
visible drilling
Rescue shaft
Borehole no. 10
being drilled in
this area
Main mine shaft
Area flattened
for rescue
operations
Other areas with
visible drilling
Satellite image: Google
Other areas with
visible drilling
Rescue shaft
Borehole no. 10
being drilled in
this area
Main mine shaft
Area flattened
for rescue
operations
Other areas with
visible drilling
Satellite image: Google
Rescuers are drilling new shafts to reach the men in the middle section of the mine, more than 600 metres from the entrance. Another survivor has been found in a different section. Some narrower shafts have already reached the miners, allowing food, water and medical supplies to be lowered. Some shafts have been abandoned for technical reasons and some are still being drilled.
The shafts include one 711-mm (28-inch) diameter shaft that rescuers hope to use to bring the survivors to safety. An air ventilation shaft that rescuers also want to use to pull the miners to safety has been cleared to a depth of about 350 metres (1,148 feet). However, a “severe blockage” was much worse than feared, officials said, adding that it was about 100 metres thick and weighed some 70 tonnes. The miners may have to wait another two weeks before they can be rescued because of the blockage on their intended escape route, officials said on Thursday.
Borehole no. 10
711 mm
Drainage
protection channel
Also in early stages.
Soccer ball to scale
No. 7
No. 3
311 mm
Life maintenance
channels
No. 1
Successful boreholes which have reached the miners. Food and medical supplies have been exchanged.
No. 4
Auxiliary channels
Under construction.
Borehole no. 10
711 mm
Drainage
protection channel
Also in early stages.
Soccer ball to scale
No. 7
No. 3
311 mm
Life maintenance
channels
Successful boreholes which have reached the miners. Food and medical supplies have been exchanged.
No. 1
No. 4
Auxiliary channels
Under construction.
Rescue tunnel
Drilling is underway on this borehole. Rescuers hope to use this to bring the survivors to safety.
Borehole no. 10
711 mm
Drainage
protection channel
Also in early stages.
Life maintenance
channels
No. 7
Soccer ball to scale
Successful boreholes which have reached the miners. Food and medical supplies have been exchanged.
No. 3
311 mm
No. 1
No. 4
Auxiliary channels
Under construction.
Borehole no. 10
711 mm
Rescue tunnel
Drilling is underway on this borehole. Rescuers hope to use this to bring the survivors to safety.
Drainage protection channel
Also in early stages.
Soccer ball to scale
No. 7
Life maintenance channels
Successful boreholes which have reached the miners. Food and medical supplies have been exchanged.
No. 3
311 mm
No. 4
No. 1
Auxiliary channels
Under construction.
Police have sealed off the road to the mine, cutting through muddy apple orchards and warehouses, to ensure rescue efforts are not hampered. Health workers in white protective gear took temperatures beside mounded earth and tents as part of COVID-19 precautions.
A Reuters team saw fire trucks and cars coming and going through a checkpoint on an approach road.
China’s mines are among the world’s deadliest. It has recorded 573 mine-related deaths in 2020, according to the National Mine Safety Administration.
Marco Hernandez and Simon Scarr
Emily Chow, Tom Daly, David Stanway, Gabriel Crossley, Wen Foo and Anand Katakam
Reuters reporting