On November 17, 2011 just over two years after works began, the Seli TBM completed the excavation of an 8km exploratory tunnel for the Los Bronces mine. Los Bronces is one of the largest copper mines in the world, and is located near Cordigliera in the Andes. The 4.5m diameter exploratory tunnel runs at an elevation between 3000m and 4000m and crosses a variety of geological formations of hard and sound rocks with few predicted faults.

The consortium of Dragados-Besalco SA awarded to Seli a EUR12 million contract for the DSU Compact TBM (diameter 4.50m), back-up included,  and management of excavation project. This type of TBM system was selected because of the logistical difficulties of accessing the site, the restricted spaces for the portal installations and the required flexibility in relation to geology and rock supports..

Works completed by SELI are part of a larger project which includes the drilling of a tunnel within the mine that will allow for deep descents and access to large copper and molybdenum reserves in the Andean subsoil. Visit www.dragados.com, www.besalco.cl and www.selitunnel.com. 50/11