(Kitco News) - Lundin Gold (TSX: LUG) announced Monday that the South Ventilation Raise (SVR) at its Fruta del Norte gold mine in southeast Ecuador is now complete and operational.
According to the company’s statement, as a result of the completion of the SVR, ventilation in the mine will increase from 180 m3/s to 350 m3/s resulting in improved efficiencies and enabling mining activities on all levels.
The company said that the SVR has been under construction over the past three years, during which time the project encountered delays due to COVID and various technical challenges.
In mid-2021, Lundin Gold revised the work plan from a traditional 5.1 metre raise bore to a 2.1 metre diameter pilot raise followed by top-down slashing to 5.1 metres and concrete lining. The slash and line was completed in early-October and commissioning of the fans was achieved over the past couple of weeks.
President and CEO Ron Hochstein commented, "I am very happy to finally announce that the SVR is complete and operational. The SVR project has had its challenges, but the team has worked tirelessly to ensure that the delays did not impact operations. With the SVR now complete and commissioned, the entirety of the Fruta del Norte deposit can be accessed and mined, and haul truck cycle times can be improved."
Lundin Gold, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, owns the Fruta del Norte gold mine in southeast Ecuador. Fruta del Norte is among the highest-grade operating gold mines in the world.
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