Southern Empire Vice President of Exploration David Tupper said, “Mapping the underground with LiDAR and establishing underground survey points, which are now tied into surface control survey points, is a key starting point for all of future underground exploration, development and production at Oro Cruz.”

Southern Empire’s underground Li- DAR and survey contractors, EROCK Associates LLC and Dundas Geomatics Inc. (both of Grass Valley, CA) were assisted by American Mine Services Inc. to complete this underground work in an efficient and timely manner.

The Cross mine underground ramp and sublevel developments, which extend approximately 155 meters vertically below the mine portal, were established in the mid-1990s by the American Girl Mining Joint Venture (AGMJV). Subsequent gold production from the underground mine was limited, cut short when operations ceased on November 1, 1996, because of declining gold prices.