Fortuna Silver Mines has announced temporary suspension of activities at the Lindero project in Argentina due to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The company has temporarily suspending construction activities at Lindero site for ten days.
To maintain critical activities and to undertake safety and environmental monitoring of Lindero, the company will continue a task force on site over the isolation period.
Argentina has already reported more than 200 positive coronavirus cases in the country.
To combat the coronavirus outbreak, the Government of Argentina has declared a period of mandatory national social isolation, effective until 31 March 2020.
In a statement, Fortuna stated: “The Company is proceeding to orderly and safely demobilise its workforce at the Lindero gold Project in Salta Province, Argentina, in accordance with the Executive Order and the processes implemented for this purpose by the Provincial Government of Salta.
“As a result, the Company is temporarily suspending construction activities at Lindero for ten days. A task force will remain on site to maintain critical activities and to undertake safety and environmental monitoring of Lindero over the isolation period.”
Fortuna will provide an update once the evaluations have been completed
The company has stated that it will evaluate the impacts of the temporary suspension at the site on the timelines and budget and will provide an update once the assessments have been completed.
Fortuna’s primary portfolio includes Caylloma silver Mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold Mine in Mexico and the Lindero gold project, currently under construction, in Argentina.
Located in the Province of Salta, Argentina, the Lindero gold project is 100% owned by Fortuna.
In September last year, the company announced the start of pre-production mining at the project.
