Torex Gold President and CEO, Jody Kuzenko, detonates the final blast to achieve the breakthrough.
Torex Gold Reports Successful Breakthrough of Guajes Tunnel
“The breakthrough of the Guajes Tunnel is a critical milestone in the development of the Media Luna project, which remains on track for first concentrate production in late 2024,” said Jody Kuzenko, president and CEO of Torex. “The Guajes Tunnel will be the primary conduit for transporting ore and waste from the Media Luna deposit on the south side of the Balsas River to the processing plant on the north side.” It will also move miners and materials more efficiently between both locations.
The breakthrough was achieved three months earlier than scheduled, primarily driven by world-class advance rates. Rates north to south have averaged 7.1 meters per day (m/d) since the start of the year, including a record average advance rate of 8 m/d in November. What makes the advance rates truly impressive is that the tunnel is 6.5-m high by 6-m wide and that secondary development and installation of services have kept pace with overall tunnel progress, Kuzenko explained.
“We expect to commence anchor bolting for the 7-km overhead conveyor in early 2024, which will pave the way for the installation and then commissioning of the conveyor in August 2024 well ahead of completing the necessary upgrades to the processing plant,” Kuzenko said.