Outotec will deliver two mills - one 4MW SAG mill and one 4MW ball mill - to the project as well as five modular thickeners and one clarifier. The equipment is scheduled to arrive in the June quarter of 2021.

The concentrator plant at the mine will have an average annual throughput of 2 million tonnes of ore when operational - the firm targets first gold in 2023.

Salares Norte, which is located 4,500m above sea level in the Atacama region, has estimated maiden reserves of 21.1Mt at 5.1g/t gold and 57.9g/t silver for 3.5Moz of gold and 4.0Moz of gold equivalent.

"We are pleased to deliver our energy efficient and advanced process equipment to Gold Fields and support them in building profitable and sustainable operations in the challenging site location in high altitude," said Paul Sohlberg, head of Outotec's Minerals Processing business.

The thickeners' and clarifier's modular designs will minimise installation time at the high-altitude site.