There is a zone of an estimated 1 km for the miners to move around in. They have divided themselves into three different groups, each named after the part of the underground tunnel they are staying in - the refuge group, the ramp group, and group 105. A sketch of this was sent up by one of the trapped miners, Jose Ojeda.
The miners have also created separate places for resting, washing and toilet. Artificial lighting has been set up to help them maintain a day and night routine. Psychologists state that this is vital for living and sleeping patterns and to prevent mental damage.
Engineers and scientists are presently developing plans to safely free the miners without causing the mine to collapse, which would most likely kill them. This is a dangerous operation. Access through the mine entrance tunnel is blocked, rescuers have decided that the most effective way of reaching the men is by drilling a shaft and then pulling them to the surface with a winch. There are three drilling operations with three types of machinery - two raise-bore machines, which drill a pilot hole (smaller hole) before widening it; and another drill, which initially drills a wide shaft. This will speed up the rescue plan.
The pilot hole for the first rescue shaft (Plan A) started on 30 August and is aiming for the shelter where the miners are kept.
The Plan B operation is drilling a pilot hole for rescue shaft 2. The hole is 630 metres deep, it will need to be re-drilled for a few more weeks to reach the miners' location so they can be pulled out.
Plan C started on 19 September, it involves using machinery commonly used for oil drilling.
Rescue is estimated during mid October.
Communication with the miners has played a significant part in making this operation work. Messages from relatives of the miners and necessary supplies have been transported down boreholes in tubes.
The miners have provided rescuers with video updates to show the conditions in the mine.
They have been assigned work tasks to keep them involved in the process like clearing up all the scattered fragments falling from the drilling, and unloading the tubes carrying supplies and messages nicknamed "palomas" daily.
The miners have been trapped underground for over 55 days, this is longer than anyone else in history!
Dr James Thompson is a senior psychology lecturer at University College London (UCL). Dr Thompson has responded to recent reports that the men being sent anti-depressants, he says he finds the idea a bit odd and believes that the best way to help the miners cope mentally is by giving them practical tasks and to get a rescue routine in place. "What they need is food and supplies and then systems building up ad then to be given tasks to keep them busy." "Maybe send down some equipment to give them something to do and to keep them involved."
Also, he says that human communication is an "enormous" psychological boost. "In a disaster, if someone gives you a blanket, it's not just a blanket, it's an act of human caring."
However, Dr Kevin Fong from the Centre for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine at University College London thinks that even though "They are isolated in a hazardous environment and the psychological stress will be quite impressive", they will be able to manage it resiliently because "They are likely to be quite tough characters to be doing that job."
In my opinion, the best thing to do to keep the trapped miners mentally stable is to keep them involved in the rescue mission to keep them occupied so there minds are kept away from depression. In addition, there could be more communication with them so they are reassured.
I think that the miners will suffer some physical damage as well as mental. The conditions underground are very hazardous, there may be toxic fumes and unhealthy air, so this could result in health problems, especially respiratory. Also, lack of proper hygiene could present some problems.
