To connect the El Limón gold ore pit with the processing plant it was necessary to overcome an altitude difference of about 400m in steep terrain. Minera Media Luna, S.A. de C.V. (MML), 100% owned subsidiary of Torex Gold Resources Inc., opted for the RopeCon as a means to transport 1,000 metric tons of gold ore per hour into the valley over a distance of 1.3km. Along with other aspects, safety and environment were key considerations in prompting the decision.

The El Limón-Guajes gold ore pit of MML is located approximately 180km south-west of Mexico City in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. The ore mined at the two pits of El Limón and Guajes is processed in one central processing plant. The El Limón pit, however, is approx. 400m higher up on a steep ridge.

During the planning phase, one of the issues that had to be addressed was the transport of the material from the pit down into the valley. Along with the costs, operational safety and the impact on the environment had to be taken into account. In March 2013, MML decided to use the RopeCon as a means of transport, a system which covers the vertical rise of approx. 400m and the length of 1.3km with just one tower structure before unloading the material onto a stockpile. Construction of the RopeCon started in early 2014. Doppelmayr’s assembly team carried out the job in just 6 months – accident-free and on schedule. The RopeCon® took up operation as planned in March 2016. It now connects the pit with the processing plant.

Read more: Transporting 1,000 metric tons of gold ore per hour