Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has said he hopes 33 trapped miners will be brought to the surface by the end of next week.
Mr Pinera said rescuers were "very close" to getting the men out, and he hoped they would be freed before his planned trip to Europe on 17 October.
Drills digging to reach the miners have been making rapid progress, shortening the expected rescue timetable.
The men have now been trapped underground for two months.
"We are very close to rescuing them," Mr Pinera said, without naming a precise date when the rescue attempt would start.
"I hope we can rescue them before I go to Europe, I want to share that moment with the miners".
Last week the government said the rescue attempt would begin in the second half of October, having previously said it would start in early November.
But the three drills racing to reach the men are advancing rapidly.
BBC News
