ONTARIO – Work is progressing on time and on budget at the Phoenix gold project says owner Rubicon Minerals Corp. of Toronto. Construction at the site in the Red Lake district has passed the half-way point.
At the mill, the semi-autogenous grinding and ball mills are being assembled on their foundations, and structural steel is going in for the elevated floors in the plant. Only electrical work remains to be done at the elution circuit. The foundations are in place for the carbon-in-leach tanks, and they are being assembled on site. The thickener foundation has been poured, and the unit is being built off site by a third party. Finally, the paste fill plant is under construction.
Rubicon has completed 1,930 metres of the planned 8,023-metre underground development, reaching down to the 685-metre level. Lateral development is underway on the 122, 183, 244, 305, 510 and 685 levels. Contractors' crews are being replaced by company employees using Rubicon equipment on the upper levels, but a new contractor has been brought in to handle construction and development on the 610 and 685 levels.
The main ventilation pilot raise has broken through to the surface from the 305-metre level. It is being widened so that equipment can be lowered through it. The return air raise has also broken through the surface from the 122 level.
The exploration drift on the 244 level is complete, with two drills operating there and 16 additional drilling stations available.
Surface infrastructure is also moving forward. The crushed ore bin in close to completion at a height of 16 metres. Cladding has been installed around the raw ore bin attached to the headframe. Completion of the tailings management facility is expected by the end of this year.
Readers might enjoy the extensive photo gallery of the Phoenix project construction available by clicking here.
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