Chile’s El Teniente Avalanche Kills 2 Mine Workers
MINING · CHILE
Key Facts
- —The country Chile is the world’s largest copper miner and supplied 68% of US refined copper imports in 2021 to 2024, according to the US Geological Survey.
- —Why it matters El Teniente belongs to state-owned Codelco and is one of the world’s largest underground copper mines. It already lost six workers in a collapse in July 2025.
- —Why now Prosecutors and police began an investigation on Sunday, and the contractors’ union is asking why workers were clearing deep snow in a critical sector.
- —What happened A snow avalanche hit the mine’s open-pit sector on Sunday, 11 October, killing 2 contract workers. Two others escaped with minor injuries, prosecutors said.
- —What it means for you No impact on copper output has been reported. Investors in Codelco’s dollar bonds and copper buyers should watch for any suspension or safety order.
- —Still open The official cause of death, whether the work should have been allowed in that weather, and whether regulators will halt any part of the mine.
An El Teniente avalanche killed two contract workers on Sunday, 11 October, at the copper mine run by Chile’s state-owned Codelco in the Andes of the O’Higgins region. Snow buried the men in the mine’s open-pit sector, where operations had been halted because of bad weather. The deaths matter beyond Chile because El Teniente is one of the world’s biggest copper mines, and Chile supplies most of the refined copper the United States imports.
Codelco confirmed both deaths on Sunday evening. It said the company informed the public only after the workers’ employer had told their families.
This is the second deadly accident at El Teniente in just over a year. A collapse at the underground mine in July 2025 killed six workers and put Codelco’s safety record under scrutiny.
What Happened at El Teniente
In a statement dated Rancagua, 11 October, Codelco said the avalanche struck “this afternoon” in the open-pit area of its El Teniente division. Search and rescue teams found the two missing contract workers, but both were dead.
The men worked for San Lorenzo, a subcontractor that provides services to the contractor Aura. Codelco said they were carrying out inspection work in sections of the open pit, where operations had stopped because of the weather.
Deputy prosecutor José Villacura Carrasco of the Rancagua prosecutor’s office gave more detail on Sunday night, as reported by BioBioChile. He said the slide happened at about 1 p.m. local time in a sector known as El Cráter.
According to the prosecutor, four workers were clearing snow-covered roads with a motor grader and a pickup truck. They were outside the vehicles, possibly preparing for lunch, when the snow came down.
Two of them reacted in time and suffered minor injuries. The other two were swept away. The prosecutor said one victim was about 54 years old and the other about 34. Neither has been officially named.
Early accounts differed. Carabineros, the national police, put the slide at about 2 p.m. and said three workers were affected, one of whom was rescued, according to La Tercera. First reports also described a mudslide. Codelco and the prosecutor both describe it as snow.
Investigation and Government Response
Detectives from the homicide brigade of the Investigations Police (PDI) in Rancagua examined the site and the bodies. Their chief, Deputy Prefect Juan Reyes, said everything pointed externally to death by crushing under snow.
He said the bodies showed no external injuries caused by third parties. The Legal Medical Service will establish the exact cause of death. Reyes called it “an investigation of high complexity” that will also look at possible human responsibility.
President José Antonio Kast, a conservative, wrote on X: “Another tragedy that plunges the country into mourning.” He added: “It has been a hard winter for Chile.”
Daniel Mas, who serves as both economy and mining minister, said the accident requires stricter safety measures across the industry. He said his ministry had told regulators, including the National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin), to cooperate actively with the investigation.
Luis Núñez, president of Codelco’s contractors’ union, questioned the work itself before the deaths were confirmed. “We want an inquiry into why workers were removing snow with almost five metres of snow, when these are critical sectors,” he said, according to La Tercera.
What It Means for You
For US readers, the main link is copper. The US Geological Survey says Chile supplied 68% of US refined copper imports from 2021 to 2024. It estimates Chile mined about 5.3 million tonnes in 2025, close to a quarter of world output.
Codelco has not reported any loss of production from Sunday’s accident. The open pit was already idle because of the weather, so the immediate effect on supply may be small.
The larger question is regulation. A second fatal accident in 15 months is likely to bring closer scrutiny from Sernageomin, the mining regulator. Readers can find background in our explainer What Is Codelco? Chile’s State Copper Giant, Its Debt and the El Teniente Crisis.
Codelco is a large issuer of US dollar bonds, and its reporting has already been under pressure. See Codelco Copper Output Audit Finds 2025 Overstatement. A new safety order could add to that strain.
For visitors, the El Teniente area includes Sewell, a former mining town and UNESCO World Heritage site. Anyone planning a trip should check access with tour operators after heavy snow.
What Is Not Known
The official cause of death has not yet been released by the Legal Medical Service. The exact time and number of workers hit still differ between police and prosecutors.
It is not known who approved the snow-clearing work before the El Teniente avalanche, or what avalanche warnings were in place. Codelco has not said whether any part of El Teniente will stop work while the inquiry runs.
Sernageomin’s own findings have not been published. The names of the victims have not been officially released.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the El Teniente mine?
A snow avalanche hit the open-pit sector of Codelco’s El Teniente division in Chile on Sunday, 11 October. Two contract workers died, and prosecutors said two others escaped with minor injuries.
Who were the workers who died?
They were employees of the subcontractor San Lorenzo, which serves the contractor Aura. Prosecutors said they were about 54 and 34 years old. Their names have not been officially released.
Will the El Teniente avalanche affect copper supply?
Codelco has not reported any production loss. The open pit was already halted because of bad weather, but any safety order from regulators could affect operations.
Sources: Codelco statement, 11 October 2026; BioBioChile, Rancagua prosecutor and PDI; BioBioChile, Kast and Mas statements; La Tercera; US Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Copper.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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