Irish Drill Helps Chile Miners' Rescue

As the world watched the inspirational rescue of the 33 Chilean miners last week, one Irish company was celebrating its vital role in making it all possible.

The County Clare based firm Mincon International designed and manufactured the drill that first broke through to the trapped miners last August.

Technical Director of the Shannon firm Joe Purcell said everyone involved was "delighted and over the moon" at the success of the rescue operation.

Everyone working at Mincon watched live footage on the internet of the miners being rescued one by one last week.

The 33 miners had been left trapped 700 metres below ground when part of the San Jose copper and gold mine collapsed on August 5th.

They were feared dead, but 17 days later, the Mincon drill created the breakthrough that led to a note being drawn up from the miners confirming they were alive.

"It was our drill that first got through to the miners, but it was really a team effort with everyone else working there," said Mr Purcell.

The reverse circulation drill, made from hardened steel and tungsten carbide, bore a hole 14cm wide initially.

It provided the lifeline to the men below ground - not just for communicating, but for sending them food, water and medical supplies.

Joe Purcell designed the drill concerned in 2006, and only two other companies in the world have produced one which can compete with it.

"It's a combination of many years working in the industry - the light bulb switches on one day and you think that could work so you draw it up and make it," he said.

The drill bits are now likely to end up being put on display in the Chilean presidential palace - not a destination Joe would have expected when he made it in August 2006.

Mincon was founded by Joe's father Paddy in Shannon in 1977.

The company now has plants in the US and Australia, and employs 130 people. And in a neat piece of symmetry, one of those workers at the Shannon plant is a Chilean native.

The machine supervisor moved to Ireland as a child with his family in the 1970s. "He's been with the company virtually since he left school and is a valued member of the team here," said Joe, "So Hugo was quite happy with the rescue."

Shannon Chamber of Commerce paid tribute to the firm, saying it deserved all the praise that was being heaped on it on the airwaves.

"Joe and his team can pride themselves in the fact that their engineering capability, developed here in Shannon, has saved the lives of 33 trapped miners," said Helen Downes, Chamber CEO.