Tag Archives: Coeur Mining

SNC-Lavalin to manage construction of Coeur’s Rochester silver-gold mine expansion

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , , ,

SNC-Lavalin has been awarded a $30 million contract by Coeur Rochester Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coeur Mining, to provide construction management services for the Plan of Operations, Amendment Number 11 (POA 11) expansion project, at Coeur’s Rochester mine near Lovelock, Nevada, USA.

The contract commenced in the December quarter and is estimated to be completed by the end of 2022. This win is aligned with SNC-Lavalin’s new strategy moving forward in the Services segment, it said.

The POA 11 expansion project includes the construction of a new crushing plant, including a primary, secondary and tertiary crushing circuit (high pressure grinding rolls), a new heap leach pad (272 Mt), a new Merrill-Crowe process plant (62,509 litres/min), and upgrades to existing electrical utility system infrastructure, including a new substation and power distribution lines.

Coeur says this will more than double planned annual crusher throughput capacity from around 12.7 Mt to over 25.4 Mt, post-expansion. This will see average annual silver and gold production total over 8 Moz and some 80,000 oz, respectively, for the initial 10 years, post-expansion

SNC-Lavalin said: “This mandate is well aligned with our expertise in silver, gold and base metal project delivery as well as our commitment to delivering real value to our clients.”

SNC-Lavalin’s offices in Reno, Nevada, and Toronto, Ontario, will continue to support the construction management phase of the project. In addition, a team based locally at the site will manage construction-related activities.

César Inostroza, Senior Vice-President, Mining & Metallurgy, SNC-Lavalin, said: “SNC-Lavalin’s Mining & Metallurgy strategic plan is gaining traction with this mandate. It is an example of the mining services work that our team is winning across our core geographies, including the USA. SNC-Lavalin and Coeur continue to foster a strong relationship that finds and executes services solutions to create world-class operations

“This award is a testament to the continued partnership between SNC-Lavalin and Coeur. It leverages our knowledge of the Rochester mine and engineering expertise from the previous phase of this project and expands our work in the US.”

Terrence FD Smith, Coeur’s Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, added: “The strong business partnership between Coeur and SNC-Lavalin will help ensure a robust project delivery for Rochester, paving the way for improved performance in the future.”

Since approval of the initial Plan of Operation in 1986, the Rochester mine has undergone periodic mine plan amendments to support development projects and continued operations. The POA 11 proposes another mine life extension, which is expected to maintain the current workforce and support full production activities at Rochester until 2033.

Maestro Digital Mine makes connections in Latin America

Communications in mining, IoT, Mine operation news, Mine ventilation, Mining services, Mining software, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Maestro Digital Mine’s Latin America expansion is gaining traction, with the Sudbury-based company recently landing sales from major gold mines in Argentina.

Its flagship Industrial Internet of Things measurement and control instrumentation solutions, such as the Vigilante AQS™ and Zephyr AQS™ air quality monitoring stations, and the Plexus PowerNet™ last mile communication platform, are designed to provide the visibility and communication miners require to keep up productivity and improve safety while operating at increasing depths

Having successful launched these products in over 130 mines, in more than 20 countries around the world, Maestro started its strategic outreach and market research in Latin America last year.

Maestro’s says its distribution channels are vital to its success in this area and, as part of the Maestro sales team, provide valuable feedback, access and service to potential clients in Latin America.

This strategy saw it partner with associations that assist with market research and business-to-business meetings, such as the Mine Connect (formerly SAMSSA), and the Northern Ontario Export Program led by the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC) and Mining Suppliers Trade Association (MSTA), as well as secure four new distributors/agents in the key mining hubs of Argentina, Chile, Peru and Mexico to support this growth.

This investment is already starting to pay off, with the company recently landing significant contracts across the region.

In Argentina, Yamana Gold’s Cerro Moro mine, in the Santa Cruz province, is installing the Plexus PowerNet solution. This delivers a high speed, low latency digital communication network that provides “PoE+ power” to Wireless Access Points, cameras and any other IP-based device, Maestro said. The system eliminates the need for costly outside fibre optic contractors and can be installed and maintained by any internal tradesperson, according to Maestro.

Cerro Moro, an open-pit and underground gold-silver operation, poured its first gold and silver doré back in May 2018 and, up until recent COVID-19-related restrictions hit mining operations, was expected to produce 117,000 oz of gold and 7.5 Moz of silver in 2020, according to the miner.

In that same province, Maestro has also installed the last mile communication solution at Newmont’s Cerro Negro mine. This operation includes five underground mines (Eureka, Mariana Central, Mariana Norte, San Marcos, Bajo Negro), one open-pit mine (Vein Zone) and one cyanide leach processing facility that yields gold recoveries of 96%, according to Newmont.

In Mexico, Maestro has installed Vigilante AQS – air quality monitoring stations in Peñoles mines. Peñoles, a subsidiary company owned by Grupo BAL, is the second largest Mexican mining company, the top Mexican producer of gold, zinc and lead and a world leader in silver production.

Coeur Mining has, meanwhile, installed and integrated the Vigilante AQS and MaestroLink software into its Mexican mines. This includes the Palmarejo silver-gold complex. The miner continues to expand Maestro’s digital solutions on each new level of its Mexico mines, Maestro said.

Maestro concluded: “With the support of our distribution partners, we are proud to be enabling worker safety and productivity in the mines of Latin America. It is through a collaborative model that Canadian suppliers can impact positive change in the global mining industry.”

SNC-Lavalin delivering on new strategy with Rochester POA11 project win

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining project news, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

SNC-Lavalin says it has been awarded a contract to provide engineering, procurement and overall project management services for the Rochester POA11 project in Nevada, USA, by Coeur Rochester Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coeur Mining.

This phase of the project is estimated to be complete by October 2020, according to the company.

The project is anticipated to include a 20 Mt/y crushing plant, including a primary and secondary crushing circuit as well as a high pressure grinding roll circuit, a 13,750 gpm (52,049 litres per minute) Merrill-Crowe process plant, a new substation with power distribution and new heap leach pad.

Since approval of the initial plan of operation in 1986, the Rochester Mine has undergone periodic mine plan amendments to support mine development projects and continued operations. The mine plan amendment (termed Plan of Operations Amendment Number 11, or simply ‘POA 11’) proposes another mine life extension, which would maintain the current workforce and operate the mine at full production until 2033, SNC-Lavalin said. Coeur says it expects to produce 27,000-33,000 oz of gold and 4-5.5 Moz of silver in 2020.

The Rochester POA11 project is located 160 km northeast of Reno near Lovelock, Nevada. The Rochester mine is an open-pit operation that produces silver and gold. Mining methods include typical open-pit techniques where ore and waste rock are drilled, blasted, crushed, loaded and hauled to either leach pads (ore) or rock disposal sites.

This mining and metallurgy contract win is aligned with the company’s new strategy moving forward towards engineering services and greater growth, SNC-Lavalin said.

The Montreal-based company will provide overall project management services and integrate the engineering performed by various service providers under one set of specifications, procurement policies, standards, systems and procedures, it said. Services will be provided out of its offices in Toronto, Canada, with local support from the Reno, Nevada, branch. This mandate will include additional support such as public consultations, community engagement and working with the local community to address any impacts on the public, housing and accommodations during the project period.

César Inostroza, Senior Vice-President, Mining & Metallurgy, SNC-Lavalin, said: “As a first project with Coeur Mining, we look forward to building a long-term relationship and supporting our client to develop their silver and gold mine in Nevada.

“This mandate is well aligned with our services-based strategy for mining and metallurgy projects. This is one of multiple mining projects we have recently been awarded in the US market, and we see great potential in expanding our capabilities in the region. We look forward to contributing to our client’s project success through our extensive technical and project experience.”