CHILE - ANTOFAGASTA MINERALS S.A. has awarded a $140-million equipment supply contract to FINNING INTERNATIONAL, the Vancouver-based Caterpillar dealer. The equipment is destined for the Esperanza copper-gold mine to be developed in the northern part of the country.
The equipment package includes 20 new Cat 797 haul trucks, 11 used Cat 797 trucks, two O&K RH-340 hydraulic shovels and 26 other pieces of machinery such as bulldozers, motor graders, etc. Equipment deliveries will begin in January 2008 and over 60% of the fleet will be delivered during that year, with the balance delivered during 2009 and 2010. A six-year product support agreement for this equipment is currently under negotiation.
The Esperanza project has a 15-year mine life at a mining rate of 90,000 t/d. Construction is scheduled to begin early next year and production will begin in late 2010.
Finning is the world's largest Caterpillar equipment dealer. The company sells, rents and provides customer support services for Caterpillar equipment and engines in western Canada, the United Kingdom and South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Uruguay). Finning also owns Hewden, the largest equipment rental business in the U.K. For additional information please visit the company's website at www.Finning.com.
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