In a dramatic and ultimately triumphant episode for Colombia’s mining industry, twenty-three miners emerged to the applause and tears of their families after being trapped underground for nearly two days in the La Reliquia gold mine, located in the town of Segovia, Antioquia. The rescue, completed on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, came after a harrowing 43 hours spent in darkness and uncertainty, following a sudden collapse caused by what authorities described as a “geomechanical failure.”
The incident began on Monday, September 22, when the main entrance to the La Reliquia mine gave way, leaving the workers stranded approximately 15 meters below the surface. According to Colombia’s National Mining Agency (ANM), the collapse was the result of a geotechnical failure—a not uncommon hazard in the country’s complex and often unstable underground mining environments. As news of the accident spread, families rushed to the site, beginning a tense vigil that would last nearly two days.
The mine itself sits on land owned by Canada’s Aris Mining Corp., but is operated by a local mining cooperative. With about 60 employees, the La Reliquia mine represents only a small fraction of Aris Mining’s gold output in Colombia—last year, the company’s two Colombian concessions produced around 6.6 tons of gold, contributing to the country’s total annual production of 67 tons in 2024, according to the Associated Press.
What set this rescue apart from so many tragic mining accidents in Colombia was the swift and coordinated response. Rescue efforts were led by brigades from Aris Mining and the ANM’s own Mining Safety and Rescue Team. As detailed by Colombia One, the operation was described as “extremely successful” by authorities, who emphasized that the mine had a valid title for gold exploitation and was operating within the legal framework. This distinction would soon become a key talking point for both industry officials and government regulators.
Throughout the ordeal, the trapped miners were supplied with food, water, and air via a tube snaked down to their location. The CEO of Aris Mining, Neil Woodyer, praised not only the technical expertise of the rescue teams but also the “remarkable calm, discipline, and resilience of the workers who remained underground. Their composure and trust in the rescue process were essential to ensuring that this difficult situation ended safely,” Woodyer stated, as quoted by Colombia One.
When the moment of rescue finally arrived, the miners emerged under their own power, some showing visible signs of weakness but many still able to smile and celebrate. Families who had waited anxiously at the site since Monday greeted their loved ones with tears and applause, as captured in images published by AFP and France 24. The emotional reunion was a rare bright spot in a sector more often associated with tragedy than with happy endings.
The ANM was quick to highlight the importance of formalization and safety in Colombia’s mining sector. In a statement, the agency noted that “prevention, safety, and response protocols work effectively, guaranteeing the integrity of each of the miners.” The successful outcome, the ANM said, “reaffirms that formal mining has prevention plans, trained brigades, monitoring of underground conditions, and immediate response protocols that prioritize life.”
In fact, 2025 has seen a concerted effort by the ANM to strengthen mining safety nationwide. According to Colombia One, the agency has trained 1,426 people in mining safety through 101 courses on competency standards and has formed 151 emergency brigades in different departments. These initiatives, officials argue, are critical to building mining communities that are prepared to face and prevent emergencies.
Yet, for all the celebration surrounding the La Reliquia rescue, the broader context of mining in Colombia remains fraught with danger—particularly in the vast, shadowy world of illegal and informal mining. A 2023 report by Colombia’s Human Rights Ombudsman revealed that more than 80% of Colombia’s gold is mined by operators without licenses, including artisanal miners and, in some cases, members of rebel groups (Associated Press). These informal operations, lacking even basic safety measures, account for the majority of fatal accidents in the sector.
The contrast was underscored just days before the Segovia rescue, when the bodies of seven miners were recovered from an illegal mine in Cauca province. Rescue teams took nine days to reach the trapped workers—a grim reminder of the perils faced by those working outside the legal framework. Fatalities are tragically common: in March 2024, eight miners died in Buritica, Antioquia, after a collapse in a clandestine shaft controlled by criminal groups; in June 2023, a methane explosion at a formal coal mine in Sutatausa killed 21 workers, though several survivors were pulled out after more than 50 hours of effort (Colombia One).
Experts and officials agree that illegal mining not only multiplies occupational risks but also finances illicit economies and causes severe environmental damage. The debate over how to formalize thousands of small-scale miners remains unresolved, even as the lack of safety measures continues to claim lives underground. According to Colombia One, incidents in illegal mines rarely become official statistics due to the sector’s informality, making the true toll difficult to measure.
For now, the La Reliquia rescue stands as a testament to the value of legal, regulated mining and the power of coordinated emergency response. The images of miners emerging into the arms of their families—smiling despite exhaustion, alive against the odds—offer a rare moment of hope in a country where mineral wealth and human vulnerability are so often intertwined. As Colombia continues to grapple with the challenges of formalizing its mining sector and protecting those who toil underground, the lessons of Segovia will surely echo far beyond the tunnels of Antioquia.
In the wake of this successful operation, the focus now shifts to ensuring that such rescues become the norm, not the exception, and that the safety of miners is never left to chance.