Barrick Gold initiated the evacuation of 39 workers from its Pascua Lama project in Alto del Carmen, Chile, after they were isolated for eight days by a severe snowstorm. The initial rescue efforts on Friday successfully extracted 16 workers, with the remaining 23 personnel airlifted on Saturday morning due to improved weather conditions. The operation utilized helicopters from Barrick Chile, with the final group of workers arriving by 12:25 PM on Saturday.
The workers at the Barriales camp faced extreme conditions, including temperatures as low as -17°C and up to 7.5 meters of snow accumulation. Concerns were raised by Sergio Durán, president of a collaborating company's union, regarding the camp's infrastructure, stating that it was not equipped to handle such an event. Issues included frozen pipes, non-functional water treatment and potable water plants, and the potential exhaustion of generator fuel, which was only partially replenished during the week.
Despite Barrick's assurances that workers had food, water, and medical attention, the union representative highlighted distress among personnel due to the harsh environment and lack of heating in sleeping quarters. Three additional workers in the Potrerillos camp, also isolated by the storm, were reported by Barrick to be safe, in good health, and with sufficient supplies, while ground crews worked to clear access. Barrick confirmed that no shift changes are planned for the Barriales camp until further notice, adhering to established safety protocols.
