Government formalized support for construction of underground lab Andes
The initiative will provide an area of research at the international level at el paso border "Agua Negra", linking the Argentine Province San Juan with the Region of Coquimbo.
SANTIAGO-Chile officially gave its support for the initiative that seeks to build the first underground laboratory in Latin America the Interior of the binational project Agua Negra tunnelwhich will be located at the border crossing linking the province of San Juan (Argentina) and the Region of Coquimbo.
"It is of"Andes", whose origin is in the interest of scientists from Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, and that last week, after various efforts made, the Executive endorsed the initiative.
The project will be in charge of the National Commission for scientific research and technology (Conicyt), and already has significant support from the international community.
In this sense, the intendant of Coquimbo Region, Claudio Ibanezsaid "as regional government we have put all our energies so that becomes a reality this project (...) that will allow us greater integration in other areas".
"This will encourage interest in science, as well as strengthening the training of specialists and boost the attraction of scientists at international level to our region. In addition, allowing new discoveries for humanity", he added.
The Agua Negra tunnel will have a length of 14 kilometers, and the scientific proposal considered this laboratory between the kilometers to install 3.5 and 5, placing it near the border between Argentina and Chile.
This position ensures rock than 1700 metres thick, thus ensuring greater protection against cosmic radiation, analyzing the behavior of Atomic microparticles and explore dark matter, among other achievements.
The cost of the excavations and terminations of this laboratory is estimated at $10 million. "Planning is integrated into the tunnel, in order to minimize the costs of construction and operation, taking advantage of all the infrastructure that offers work, whose cost is of" $850 million. For this reason it is important for us to include this laboratory in the tender of the Agua Negra tunnel", said Ibanez.
While the Minister of infrastructure and public services of San Juan (Argentina), Julio César Ortizthe realization of the Andes laboratory a sample of binational integration with projection to the world.
"This is something that comes for decades, not years. There are big signs of it that has fought to bring it forward, specify and pursue all studies that were made of the tunnel and today we have managed to sign with the Regional Government an agreement to finance the basic engineering of the project of the Andes laboratory", said the authority.
On the other hand, the regional councillor and Chairman of the Committee of promotion of production, science, technology and innovation, Agapito Santander, he stated that "these are political state of Argentina and Chile", by what he called the authorities inbound to take "the challenge of overcoming the problems and adversity in pursuit of this important goal".
