The Chilean Mine Rescue: By the Numbers

Our family, everyone in Chile, and many around the world have been captivated by the recent rescue of the Chilean miners in northern Chile. It has been quite an experience to live in Chile during this past year. 2010 has been an extremely difficulty yet historical year for Chile due to the Feb. 27 earthquake, 200th anniversary, and the San Jose mine disaster.




Steven Hoffer compiled the following numbers that sum up the amazing rescue.

700,000 tons -- Amount of rock that collapsed on the copper mine on Aug. 5.

2,041 feet -- Distance through the escape shaft from the Earth's surface to the stranded miners.

1,000+ -- Number of journalists covering the rescue from the scene.



926 pounds -- Total weight of the escape capsule.

100 degrees -- Common temperature in the collapsed mining shaft.

69 days, 8 hours -- Amount of time from collapse to rescue. Obviously no short period of time. However, compared to early estimates that the miners would not be rescued until late December -- a scenario that would have left the miners underground for approximately 140 days -- the 69-day rescue mission is an impressive accomplishment.

63 years old -- Age of Mario Gomez, the oldest of the miners.


48 hours -- Amount of time the standard emergency rations carried by the miners were intended to last. The 33 miners survived 17 days on these rations.

33 miners -- Trapped below the earth's surface.



28 inches -- Width of the escape capsule.

22 hours, 37 minutes -- amount of time to remove the miners.



(A side note on the video above: right at the end of the video the president swore in one of his "Viva Chile" shouts. When asked later on that night about why he swore he responded by saying, "It just came out without a filter. When in the heat of the moment, it was justifiable.")

13 feet -- Length of the escape capsule.

1 Bolivian man -- Among the 33 miners

1 Chilean flag --

1 white butterfly -- Credited with saving two miners, according to local Chilean folklore.



For additional pictures go to the Chile Govt. Flickr page.


Our family would appreciate your continued prayer and financial support as we labor to spread the Gospel to the Chilean people. Thank you to those who have been praying for our family and for the country of Chile these past few days.

To God be the Glory
Great things HE has done.