Fluor Corporation?s Mining & Metals business announced that first gold has been achieved at Gold Fields? Salares Norte mining project in Chile. Salares Norte is a high-grade gold-silver, open-pit deposit in the Atacama region of northern Chile at an altitude of between 12,750-15,400 feet (3,900-4,700 meters) above sea level.

Fluor is responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction management of the project. Construction and pre-commissioning are scheduled to be completed in April. Once fully operational, approximately 350,000 ounces of gold are expected to be mined annually through the life of the mine.