Lundin Gold completed the South Ventilation Raise (SVR) at its Fruta del Norte gold mine in southeast Ecuador. 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-m raise bore to a 2.1-m diameter pilot raise followed by top-down slashing to 5.1 m 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.
“The SVR project has had its challenges, but the team has worked tirelessly to ensure that the delays did not impact operations,” said Ron Hochstein, president and CEO, Lundin Gold. “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.”
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.
