Ecuador: latent hope that trapped miners are alive

[Judi Lynn]

Google translation:

Ecuador: latent hope that trapped miners are alive
October 20, 2010 • 16:25

The hope that the miners alive are trapped in a gold mine south of the country is "latent", said the Ministry of Non-Renewable Natural Resources.

Deputy Minister of Hydrocarbons, Carlos Pareja, who has spent several days in the area, said that "we must remove all material from that point to go up and see about 15 meters up if they are where they should be" a site about 150 meters deep, where no shortage of water or oxygen.

~snip~
Said early Wednesday that "we have found evidence that we are in the right spot, we found the two miners lanterns, rods, tied. A boot also signal that this is the point where they are."

He stressed that ambulances and a helicopter are in the mining camp known as Black House to provide immediate assistance to the two miners missing since Friday. Were identified as Angel Vera and Pedro Mendoza

More:
http://noticias.terra.com.ar/internacionales/ecuador-latente-esperanza-de-que-mineros-atrapados-esten-vivos,68dad228d0bcb210VgnVCM4000009bf154d0RCRD.html

[Peace Patriot]

1. Hoping and praying!

The Chilean miners were nearly a lost cause, too. No sign of life for 17 days. They had to probe all over the place and finally found the right spot to drill a hole and got the miners' note. It's good that the Ecuadorans already know where to look. But all we can do is hope and pray, and wish the miners and their rescuers a whole lot of luck.

:grouphug:

[Mika]

2. Gold has so little intrinsic value.

I heard an NPR interview a few months ago with a commodities broker who said that 98% of the world's gold sat in vaults, unused, (coins, bars, bullion, etc). Most speculated commodities are consumed, like pork bellies, oranges, rice, corn, etc., but that gold really isn't so much of a strategic metal - except for manipulated speculation on the commodities markets. Goldman Sachs.

Miners are dying for, as usual, the speculators and capitalist investors.

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[Judi Lynn]

4. Such an odd idea, isn't it? Gold more precious than people's lives?

Oh, but it's bright and shiny! It immediately makes the bearer the one who's got something expensive! It makes you distinguished from those who DON'T have gold!

[Mika]

6. Gold has no real value anymore. Except for speculators.

Gypsum or lumber has more real world value than gold.

Not to mention the devastating environmental impact of gold mining and refining.

http://allan.lissner.net/global-day-of-action-against-open-pit-mining/

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[rabs]

3. Both missing miners were found dead today.

Los dos mineros ecuatorianos atrapados desde el pasado viernes a 150 metros de profundidad en el poblado de Portovelo fueron encontrados muertos este miércoles, según anunció Giorgy Ramírez, uno de los trabajadores que participó en el rescate.

"Encontramos a los dos, están muertos, necesitamos diez hombres más para sacarlos", dijo el hombre tras varias horas de labores en el yacimiento Casa Negra en busca de los obreros Pedro Mendoza y Angel Vera.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Very, very sad. Found this, from AFP this morning:

Rescue efforts turn tragic in Ecuador
By AFPPublished Thursday, October 21, 2010

Days of frantic rescue efforts abruptly gave way to tragedy Wednesday as two missing miners were found dead six days after they were lost in a collapsed mine shaft, a rescue worker said.

"We have found both of them. They are dead, and we need another 10 men to get them out," said Giorgy Ramirez, a member of the rescue team at the Casa Negra mine some 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Ecuador's capital Quito.

"We got up there and we found them; one up against a wall but without his clothes, and the other, you can't see well because there are boards and beams all over the place, and he is up against a wall on the opposite end."

The miners, four in all, went missing Friday, two days after Chile completed its historic, successful rescue of 33 miners stuck underground in the San Jose mine for a record 69 days.

More:
http://www.emirates247.com/news/world/rescue-efforts-turn-tragic-in-ecuador-2010-10-21-1.307057