Progress in the 310 decline at the Rainy River Mine, nicknamed “Lucky 13”, continues to charge forward. The underground tunnel has been advancing for months and when complete, will provide access from the Intrepid Zone, which is currently being mined, to the underground Main Zone located beneath the open pit. In the future, it will extend to the base of the planned fresh air raise which will provide fresh air to the underground operation. The success of this advancement is the result of continued collaboration and teamwork between New Gold’s Technical Services team and our underground operations contractor, Cementation Canada. Improvements in blast delay tracking have contributed to better communication between the New Gold and the contractor teams and, as a result, has increased productivity.
As construction continues to advance, the safety of our personnel remains the highest priority. New equipment is improving operator safety during the bolting process, and employees have received training to use this equipment to further enhance their skills. In preparation for the expansion to the Underground Main Zone, the Technical Services team has grown to meet the challenge. The recent addition of a Chief Engineer, Senior Engineer, and Geology Technician have increased the productivity of the operation and will provide new perspectives and experiences as things move forward.
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