3,200 Miners Stuck Underground ( South Africa)

sky news ^

[SpaceBar]

The South Africans are world class mining experts.

They couldn’t be in better hands.

Prayers for their safety.

[jdm]

It’s not due to a collapse, it’s just that the “elevator” is broken and they have to reconfigure another “elevator” to allow them to exit safely. Nobody’s been hurt, they just can’t get out.

That's not what this says...

excerpt~

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - A water pipe burst and soil in an underground shaft probably collapsed Wednesday morning, trapping about 3,000 workers in a gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa's economic capital and gold-mining center, the workers' union said.

It was not immediately possible to get comment from the management of Harmony Gold's Elandsrand Mine in Carletonville, nor details, such about how deep down the shaft is.

The spokesman for the National Union of Mineworkers, Lesiba Seshoka, said the managers were meeting with union members.

Miners had gone down the shaft, then the water pipe burst, and they had not been heard from since about 10 a.m., he said.

``It's a terrible situation,'' Seshoka told The Associated Press. ``The only exit is blocked, probably by a fall of ground.''

[tet68]

It was so hot in some of the deep mines that special rooms
were created, insulated with sawdust, that were chilled with
Ice to allow the miners to cool off periodically.

Comstock Bump.

[JimSEA]

The first report I read was that one shaft had collapsed due to a broken pipe and that this hoist was currently inoperable. The later reports sound more hopeful. Magma’s cages had 25 men one each level for a total of 50 total per cage. Maintenance and vent shaft cages had lesser capacity. I can’t really visualize getting 3000 + down for one shift. Also, 4000 feet depth is considered really deep for what I am used to.

[xJones]

The Comstock was very impressive for it's time, and it's deepest tunnel was 3300 ft. deep. These modern-day South African miners are 7,200 feet (l mile=5280 ft.) underground. We can only hope they have enough air conduits to keep them going until they can be rescued..

[djf]

All miners at or on their way to the surface.

Twenty minute trip up.