More study needed to explain origin of Chile sinkhole: Lundin unit president

FILE PHOTO: A sinkhole is exposed at a mining zone close to Tierra Amarilla town, in Copiapo, Chile, August 1, 2022. REUTERS/Johan Godoy

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Multiple factors could have caused a sinkhole near a copper mine in Chile owned by Canada's Lundin Mining, the president of the miner's local unit said, disagreeing with a government assessment that it was likely responsible for the phenomenon.

Chile's environmental regulator SMA last week issued a series of measure against the Ojos del Salado mine, run by Lundin's local unit, alleging its "over-extraction of material" could have caused the sinkhole.