Chilean mine rescue FAQs

The world's attention has been focused on Chile since the Aug. 5 collapse of the San Jose copper and gold mine near Copiapo especially once it was discovered, 17 days after the collapse, that all 33 miners who had been trapped underground were alive and well.

After weeks of digging, rescuers started pulling miners up to the surface on Oct. 12. The operation took about 22 hours.

Readers and viewers have had many questions about the rescue process. Below are some of the most common, butsend yours to CBC News, and we will update them in this article.

How deep were they?

The minerswere more than 600 metres below the surface. After an initial drill attempt failed to connect with them, it was halted aftergoing downalmost 600 metres.

The second "Plan B" drill was successful, reaching624 metres below the surface. That was the shaft eventuallyused inthe rescue mission.

How much space did they have?

CBC News.ca community member Grey Gardens asked how much physical space the 33 miners had to occupy. The miners were trapped in an approximately500-square-foot cavern about the size of a small, studio apartment.

What are some of the dangers?

The main riskwas rocks falling down the shaft and either damaging the rescue shuttle (nicknamed Phoenix) or getting jammed between the shuttle and the walls of the hole, impedingtheshuttle's progress either up or down.

Officials lined theuppermost portion of theshaft withmetal sheeting to guard againstfalling rocks. The rescue shaftwas also curved at a roughly 11-degree angle at the top, which made itdifficultto install metal sheeting the whole way down.

Are there medical concerns?

The mission began at night in Chile, in part to avoid the sun. After not having seen any light sources in more than two months, doctors were worried the miners' retinas would be damaged. Theywere given powerful sunglasses to wearon arrivalat the surface.

Officialsworked diligently to ensure the miners had the strength of character to deal with spending as much as one hour upright in a 190 cm by 54 cm metal capsule inside adark tunnel. The Phoenix had an escape hatch if anythingwent wrong, so the miners could return to the mine.The capsulewas also equipped with communications equipment, food and water.

Some of the miners have hypertension and other heart problems, so steps were taken to ensure theywould remain calm throughout the journey and get medical attention as quickly as possible when they reached the surface. Allwere given flu shots. Aspirin was sent down to thin their blood. They all did 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day and each miner fasted foreight hours before boarding the capsule to ensure they were as small as possible for the trip.

Some of theminers developed respiratory, skin and dentalailments after having spent two months in the humid, dirty mine environment. That much time in a closed environment could also make their immune systems susceptible to other diseases once they are above ground. The miners all wore a specially made harness to monitor their heart rate, breathing, temperature and oxygen consumption during the ascent.

Upon surfacing, all miners were metby two of their pre-selected family members before being taken to a triage site where their health was assessed.

Who was rescuedfirst?

Officials were very tight-lipped about the official list specifying the order in which the miners were to be brought up beyond saying that the first person toascend would be someone in excellent physical shape with the mental fortitude to withstand any setbacks that might arise.

In the end, that miner was 31-year-old Florencio Avalos.

Mario Sepulveda Espina, the second miner to reach the surface, has been known as the presenter or journalist of the group for his video interviews with fellow miners.

Mario Gomez, the ninth man to emerge,was the oldest man trapped underground. At 63, he has worked as a miner since he was 12 years old.

Edison Pena, an athlete who ran several kilometres a day while underground, was the 12th miner rescued.

The last miner to ascend was shift supervisor Luis Urzua, who was widely credited with keeping spirits up in the initial17 days after the collapse before the miners had contact with the outside world.

Are they getting financial compensation?

CBC News reader Chris Tuttle wanted to know if the men would be compensated for their time in the mine.

It's not immediately clear if the miners will receive compensation from the company that employed them. According to several international news reports, the San Esteban company, which operates the San Jose mine, pursued bankruptcy protection after the collapse and has said it can't afford to pay the workers.

In late August, the miners' unioncalled on thegovernment tostep in and pay the wages, but Mining Minister Laurence Golborne said labour laws prohibited the state from doing so. He said it was the mining company's responsibility, and itwould have to be worked out in court.

The Associated Press reported that the families of 27 of the 33 workers have filed a $10-million negligence lawsuit against the company. A similar suit against government inspectors for failing to enforce safety regulations is also planned.

In the meantime, the miners' relatives have received money through donations. Soon after it was learned that the trapped men were all alive, Chilean mining executive Leonardo Farkas gave $10,000 cheques in the miners' names to each of their families and set up a collection fund.

The men also expect to be offered lucrative media deals and have called in a lawyer to draw up a contract ensuring the profits are split equally, the Telegraph reported.

What comes next, from a mental health perspective?

Dr. Alberto Goldwaser, a forensic psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at NYU medical school, had this response on alive chatwith CBC News Your Voice:

"None of these men were prepared, due to their likely lifestyle, to what will come to them, fame.This could prove more overwhelming and destructive to them and their families.

"All of a sudden, these miners changed from individuals only important to their families to being important to the world. It is possible that the importance of family [will] deteriorate, and with this, suffering slowly but surely would set in.

"We are talking about valiant people [who] mostly grew up in a distant, cold, hard environment. Now, they can see the world, as a result of a tragic mishap. We cannot say they should not accept the offers [for media interviews and from sponsors], but I am afraid they cannot handle [them]. They may not be able to appreciate digest this rich meal and get real sick. Without preparation, I find it difficult to work."

• Read more from Dr. Goldwaser