Early in March, shortly after I returned from the US, the MODEST15 conference was being held at the Universidad de Concepción, having been organized by folks in the astronomy department. Part of the conference involved an afternoon excursion to the nearby town of Lota. The town was one of the first in the world to have hydroelectric electricity and has principally been a mining town, notably home to a coal mine which extends beneath the ocean – the Chiflón del Diablo (Devil’s Blast). This (now closed) coal mine is a tourist attraction and the primary focus of our trip.

The conference attendees loaded themselves onto two buses for the trip to Lota, and arrived at the mine around 1400. We divided into two groups and took the mining elevator (max capacity 6, if you squeezed) into the mine shaft. From there we had a 30–45 minute tour from a former miner, all in Spanish (though, with the assistance of a translator). It was an interesting experience, though I did not think it was too different from the other mines I have been in (they are all dark and cramped). From inside, the only sign the mine went under the ocean was that a portion of the mine was a bit wetter than normal. The grounds of the mine also features a movie-set replica of the company-owned mining town, showing the living conditions of miners in years past.

After the mine, we went to a park in the city, which was formerly the grounds of the estate of the family who owned the mine. It was a nice green space and had some good views of the city.

Lota is about 45 minutes from Concepción by car, so it is worth a quick trip if you are in the area. Below are some photos from this trip, or you can view other photos from Lota.

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