Mining Magazine > Panorama > Sandvik kits out Pascua-Lama

Panorama

Sandvik has signed an agreement with Barrick regarding the supply of several types of equipment for its Pascua-Lama site.

Pascua-Lama is an open-pit mining project for the extraction of gold and silver and is located in the Andes Mountains, south of Atacama, straddling the border between Chile and Argentina. The mine is situated at 5,200m altitude and all equipment must be able to operate at high altitudes and in cold conditions.

Nearly 10 years and after a complete extensive community consultation process and a robust review by communities, stakeholders and regulators, Pascua-Lama was approved by COREMA, the regional environment authority, in 2006.

Barrick plans to invest between US$2.8 and 3 billion in Pascua-Lama, with an expected annual output of 750,000-800,000oz of gold and 35 million oz of silver in the first five years. The company will create 5,500 jobs during the initial construction stage, and will employ around 1,600 people over 25 years of operation.

The products to be delivered include:

Three DS410C bolting rigs, two DC302R drill rigs, three DD420-60C jumbos, six LH514 loaders, four EJC533 dump trucks, three TH540 dump trucks, one DR460 blasthole drill, one D90KS blasthole drill and three CH880 cone crushers.

The underground machines will be used to construct a 1,514m ramp, crusher cavern and conveyor tunnel 3,940m in length connecting Chile with Argentina. The surface rigs will start the open pit development in parallel with the tunnel development.

Sandvik plans to complete the order by the July quarter of 2010.