A crater in Chile has doubled in size, growing large enough to engulf France's Arc de Triomphe and prompting authorities to halt work on a nearby copper mine.
The crater in Chile, which erupted on July 30, now spans 50 meters in diameter and is 200 meters deep.
Seattle's Space Needle would also fit comfortably in the hole, as would six statues of Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer, facing each other, arms outstretched.
The National Service of Geology and Mining said late on Saturday that it was still investigating the crater near the Alcaparrosa mine, operated by Canadian company Lundin Mining, about 665 km north of Santiago.
In addition to ordering all activities to cease, the geology and mining service said it was beginning a "sanction process".
The agency did not elaborate on what that action would involve.
Lundin did not initially respond to a request for comment.
The company said last week that the hole did not affect workers or community members and that it was working to determine what had caused it.
Lundin owns 80% of the property and the rest belongs to Sumitomo Corporation of Japan.
Initially, the crater near the town of Tierra Amarilla measured about 25 meters in diameter and it was possible to see water at the bottom.
The geology and mining service said it had installed water extraction pumps at the mine and that in the coming days it will investigate the mine's underground chambers to try to identify possible over-extraction.
Local officials have expressed concern that the Alcaparrosa mine could be flooded underground, destabilizing the surrounding land.
It would be “completely out of the ordinary,” Tierra Amarilla mayor Cristóbal Zúñiga told local media.
Sources: investing.com
