Operations at the open-pit portion of Chile’s El Teniente copper mine have been suspended following a rain-triggered landslide on Sunday that killed two contractors and left another injured.
The state-owned mining company, Codelco, confirmed the fatalities at its flagship operation, which sits approximately 75 kilometers southeast of Santiago in the Andes Mountains.
According to Chile’s National Geology and Mining Service (SERNAGEOMIN), the landslide occurred shortly before 2:00 p.m. local time on October 11. Three contractors employed by Aura Ingeniería SA were conducting inspections in El Teniente's south pit when the ground gave way following heavy rainfall across central Chile.
Rescue teams extracted one worker, who was transported to a medical facility. The remaining two workers, aged 34 and 53, were subsequently found dead.
"Actions aimed at safeguarding the well-being of the three workers who were in the area at the time of the incident were immediately activated," Codelco said in a statement. "Operations in the south pit sector of the mining operation will be suspended," the regulatory agency added via social media.
The incident marks the second fatal disaster at El Teniente in the last 15 months, casting further scrutiny on safety protocols and structural stability at one of the world's most critical copper-producing assets.
In July 2025, a 4.2-magnitude seismic event caused a massive rock burst deep within El Teniente’s underground tunnels, killing six workers and prompting a prolonged suspension of underground operations.
The fallout from that disaster severely constrained Codelco’s output, contributing to a 9 percent drop in Chile’s overall copper production during the first quarter of 2026.
The state miner had already halted development of its Andes Norte expansion project at El Teniente in August 2026 due to heightened seismic risks detected at greater depths. Production at the site during the first five months of 2026 was down 27 percent compared to the prior year.
Beyond El Teniente, Codelco has struggled with recent safety failures across its portfolio. Earlier this month, a worker died at the company's Radomiro Tomic mine, arriving shortly after a separate fatal accident at the Escondida operation.
The operational disruptions further compound pressures on the global copper market, which is closely watching South American output as the developing El Niño weather pattern threatens heavier rainfall and flooding across key producing regions in Chile and Peru.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.