Codelco has temporarily halted operations at its Andes Norte structural project within the El Teniente mine, citing newly identified seismic risks. This decision, announced on August 4, 2026, comes exactly one year after a fatal rockburst on July 31, 2025, which killed six workers and injured nine. The company communicated the suspension to four contractor firms and labor unions, leading to immediate concerns about job losses for an estimated 3,000 workers. Management assured that the suspension is a preventative safety measure, not a response to imminent danger, and will remain in effect until control measures for the seismic risk are fully implemented. The Andes Norte project is one of three structural initiatives, alongside Andesita and Diamante, aimed at extending El Teniente's operational life and maintaining its annual production of around 400,000 tons.
The previous rockburst incident in 2025 led to the complete shutdown of the Andesita and Recursos Norte areas, which remain closed. While Andes Norte had gradually reopened for construction post-accident, this new suspension will again paralyze its development. The fatal 2025 incident was linked to geological stresses from mining activity rather than natural tectonic shifts, and also caused significant delays in a key structural project to extend the mine's useful life by 50 years, for which Codelco is investing around $3.2 billion. Production at El Teniente is projected to remain stagnant at approximately 300,000 metric tons per year through the end of the decade, a decline from 356,000 tons in 2024 before the accident.
The suspension will necessitate Codelco to invoke clauses in its agreements with contracting companies. Although Codelco will continue a related material movement initiative for Andes Norte, the broader project suspension is expected to lead to a gradual reduction, suspension, or termination of employment for many workers. This renewed setback highlights the ongoing safety challenges and operational complexities facing Codelco in managing its deep underground mining operations, particularly after the 2025 accident prompted a reassessment of its plans in deeper sections of the mine.
