Purple haze all around, don't know if I'm comin' up or down. A bright purple cloud appeared over the Chilean town of Pozo Almonte on Sunday. Naturally, residents were quite freaked out. Officials now believe that the strange phenomenon resulted from a pump failure at the Cosayach Saltpeter and Iodine Company's nearby mine. From News.com.au:
Deputy head of Chile's Tarapaca Region Christian Ibanez explained: "We are carrying out an inspection, which tells us that this incident was due to the failure of a motor of the impeller pump."
According to environmental officials, the malfunction caused iodine at the mine to change from a solid to a gaseous state.
"Until now, there have been no medical consultations or affectations as a result of the situation we are experiencing," said Tarapaca Region representative Daniel Quinteros.
Excuse me while I kiss the sky.
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