Labor incidents reported in Chilean mining and Argentine trafficking rescue

In Chile, a contractor worker at the Minera Escondida site, operated by BHP in the Antofagasta Region, suffered a serious accident after falling approximately three meters while repairing a high-tonnage extraction truck. Emergency protocols were activated, and the worker was transferred to a medical center in Antofagasta. BHP reported that the individual is under continuous medical monitoring and is evolving favorably. This incident occurs amid heightened scrutiny of the mining sector following 13 recent worker fatalities in the country.

In Argentina, authorities in Tortuguitas, Malvinas Argentinas, rescued 14 victims of human trafficking and labor exploitation. The rescue followed the death of a 20-year-old worker due to lead poisoning. Investigations revealed that workers were operating in clandestine battery dismantling and smelting facilities, exposed to toxic lead and acid residues without protective equipment. The victims lived and worked in the same warehouses during 12-hour shifts. The case has been referred to the Procuraduría de Trata y Explotación de Personas (PROTEX).