On August 5, 2010, a cave-in traps 33 miners underground, and rescue efforts were deployed immediately. Through a joint effort, Layne and their Latin American affiliate, Geotec, the Chilean miners were rescued after 69 days underground. Large escape boreholes were drilled simultaneously using different equipment provided by multiple international corporations with three different strategies. •
Plan A, the Strata 950 (702 meter target depth at 90°), •
Plan B, the Schramm T130XD (638 meter target depth at 82°), •
Plan C, a RIG-421 drill (597 meter target depth at 85°). The Layne and Geotech team applied experience from worldwide operations and well over 100 years of drilling experience; Minera Copper and Minera
Escondido funded the project and also provided a team of geologists and engineers. On August 15, Geotech uses a
Schramm Inc. 685W and two diamond rigs (CS 3001 and CS 4002) for the first drilling stage. Then on August 26, Geotech works to ensure that the -inch 6C pilot hole is drilling to reach the underground workshop. After five days of constant drilling, the third attempt succeeds. As drilling progresses, the T-130XD comes to a halt at 880 feet when the "nose" of the 12-inch hammer bit breaks. It's a setback when the metal piece blocks the well. At this time, Layne drillers flew from
Afghanistan and helpers flew from the U.S. arrive. The entire team is now complete and works to clear the hole. Reaming the hole to 12 inches is completed at 2,040 feet, proving the theory of following the -inch hole to the mine workshop and then the hole is reamed to 28 inches to allow for the rescue pod, Phoenix capsules. On October 9, cheers go up as the Plan B drill rig reaches its target - the mine workshop, allowing the rescue to begin. Finally, on October 12, final preparations and test runs are carried out. Rescuers begin pulling miners to safety in the rescue pods. The whole world watched as the miners emerged to safety, culminating a multinational, multi-disciplined team effort involving coordination and cooperation between the teams. Following the rescue operations, Layne and Geotech received official recognition from U.S. President
Barack Obama at the
White House. ==References==