Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In
Built byBoxcut Studio

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects
    Product

    Lundin Gold’s space-based exploration at Fruta del Norte: targeting insights for mine planners

    February 26, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    Lundin Gold’s space-based exploration at Fruta del Norte: targeting insights for mine planners

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Lundin Gold is spending $100 million on 2026 exploration at its Fruta del Norte underground mine in Ecuador, deploying Fleet Space Technologies’ ExoSphere platform to refine drill targeting beneath more than 200 metres of post-mineral volcano-sedimentary cover. ExoSphere integrates metre-scale active seismic imaging with geological and assay data to build layered subsurface models, resolving steep second-order fault structures that control the blind epithermal gold-silver system. The improved structural framework has already generated new high-priority drill targets, supporting plans to sustain 475,000–525,000 oz/y output from 2026–2028 in the remote Condor Mountain jungle terrain.

    Technical Brief

    • Lundin Gold allocated US$100 million specifically to 2026 exploration around Fruta del Norte.
    • Fruta del Norte began commercial production in late 2019 with an initial 12‑year mine life.
    • The mine produced nearly 500,000 oz of gold in 2025, generating projected exports of about US$1.8 billion.
    • Fleet Space’s ExoSphere standardises legacy geological and assay datasets before integrating new active seismic inputs.
    • High‑resolution active seismic was custom‑designed across the licence to complement existing structural and drilling data.
    • Metre‑scale seismic imaging is being used to visualise steep second‑order faults within a broader regional fault zone.
    • Remote Condor Mountain jungle terrain imposes access and logistics constraints, increasing the value of precise drill targeting.
    • Fleet Space’s acquisition of HiSeis in May 2025 expanded its in‑house active seismic capability for hard‑rock mining projects.

    Our Take

    A US$100 million exploration budget at Fruta del Norte in both 2025 and 2026 is unusually high in our gold project coverage and signals Lundin Gold is treating southeastern Ecuador as a multi-decade camp rather than a single 12‑year mine life asset.

    The >200 m post‑mineral volcanic–sedimentary cover at Fruta del Norte places it in the same ‘blind deposit’ category as several deep gold systems in our database where conventional surface geophysics underperforms, which is where Fleet Space’s satellite‑linked sensing and HiSeis’ seismic methods tend to offer the biggest step‑change in target resolution.

    Projected gold concentrate and doré exports of about US$1.8 billion from Fruta del Norte are material at the scale of Ecuador’s economy, so any exploration success in the Condor Mountain range is likely to strengthen the case for further mining‑friendly infrastructure and permitting in that part of Latin America.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Buffalo Potash permit at Disley: design, risk and process notes for mine engineers
    Mining
    2 days ago

    Buffalo Potash permit at Disley: design, risk and process notes for mine engineers

    Buffalo Potash has secured Saskatchewan approval to complete construction and operate its Disley initial production module, a 125,000 t/y soluble-grade potash facility 50 km northwest of Regina using a patented horizontal line-drive brine circulation method through parallel horizontal wells. The C$41.5 million module will test selective underground dissolution of potassium chloride with sodium-chloride-saturated brine and supply local agriculture, drilling-fluid markets and potassium-chloride brine for regional oilfields, ahead of planned 500,000 t/y Disley East and West expansions to about 1.13 Mt/y. The permit, which runs to 30 April and excludes future modules, requires groundwater characterisation, air-quality compliance and financial assurance, while the project proceeds without a feasibility study or declared reserves, elevating technical and economic risk.

    Exiro-led takeover of Vale’s Manitoba nickel complex: key points for mine planners
    Mining
    2 days ago

    Exiro-led takeover of Vale’s Manitoba nickel complex: key points for mine planners

    Exiro Minerals, Orion Resource Partners and Canada Growth Fund have acquired an 81.1% stake in Vale’s Thompson nickel operations in northern Manitoba, committing up to US$200 million to sustain and develop the six-decade-old complex. The new vehicle, Exiro Nickel, takes over day-to-day control of two operating underground mines, the adjacent concentrator and exploration ground along the 135 km Thompson Nickel Belt, while Vale Base Metals retains an 18.9% interest. A multi-year offtake agreement keeps Vale buying nickel concentrate from the Thompson mill, providing a defined outlet for future production.

    Mining
    2 days ago

    Moeve–Emerita 100% renewable diesel deal in Spain: decarbonisation notes for mines

    Moeve and Emerita Resources have signed Spain’s first mining-sector agreement to deploy 100% renewable diesel (HVO) at industrial scale, designating Moeve as preferred supplier of this second-generation biofuel. The HVO, derived from waste and residue feedstocks rather than food crops, is claimed to cut lifecycle CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional diesel. For mine operators, the drop-in fuel compatibility with existing diesel engines offers a near-term route to decarbonise haul trucks and auxiliary fleets without major equipment changes.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    Construction

    Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental