Lundin Gold has hired the most of the process plant operations and maintenance staff and is planning to participate in the commissioning process.
Image: Process plant construction 80% complete as at May 31, 2019. Photo: Courtesy of CNW Group/Lundin Gold Inc.
Lundin Gold, a Canadian mining company operating gold projects in southeast Ecuador, announced that it has started mining its first production stope at Fruta del Norte gold project in Ecuador.
The construction of the process plant and tailings facility are carried out on schedule with commissioning of the process plant is planned to start in the third quarter of this year.
Lundin Gold said that the owner’s mine crews started mining the first transverse long hole production stope on 16 June 2019, while the underground mine development reached 7.3km as at May 31, 2019.
In addition, the owner mining is expected to continue ramping up with additional crews being added as more production stope faces become available.
The company intends to drill the pilot hole expected in early July and the raise bore equipment is in country and is being transported and assembled. It has completed the first underground paste backfill delivery hole.
Lundin Gold president and CEO Ron Hochstein said: “Fruta del Norte reached another important milestone on schedule. At the end of May overall construction progress was 73% complete and 88% of the Project’s capital expenditure was committed. The team continues to make great progress as we head towards our first gold pour later this year.”
Lundin Gold said that the process plant has reached 80% completion at the end of May and all major pieces of process equipment have been installed, with the Wet Commissioning of the initial systems is expected to start in early July and continue throughout the third quarter of 2019.
In addition, the powerline was 88% complete with agreements being reached on all easements required to complete its construction, and cable stringing is at 65% completion, along with the Bomboiza substation construction reached 40% completion.
Tailings dam construction has reached the elevation required for starting the commissioning of tailings systems and the work to reach the final starter dam elevation required for operations is progressing on schedule.