33 Chilean miners trapped in a mine for over two months will soon return to their loves ones. The evacuation is set to begin today, and will take 48 hours. Here's more.

The residents of Copiapo in Chile are preparing to celebrate. The flags are ready to be flown. And in the town plaza, a giant TV screen has been set up for them to watch the release of some 33 miners who have been trapped for 68 days.

The capsule -- also known as the phoenix -- that will carry the miners from underground has already been tested -- and retested. Loved ones above ground are preparing for reunions. And now it is just a matter of hours.

Mining Minister Laurence Golborne broke the news at a morning briefing.

[Laurence Golborne, Mining Minister]:
"We are projecting that this process of rescue should start during the day, today Tuesday, probably more toward the end of the day than the beginning or the middle of the day. So we are just hours to start this process but we are going to start as soon as everything is ready to do it in the safest way."

Once the evacuations start, it will take 48 hours to extract the men.

Four rescuers will be lowered to help the miners prepare to return to the surface.

For those above ground the evacuation can not begin soon enough.