Cementation used a Strata 950 raise drill from its fleet to ream both raises at the Thompson T3 mine. Courtesy of Vale Canada

The dual-shaft return air raise at Vale Canada’s Thompson T3 nickel mine in Manitoba, developed by underground mine contracting and engineering firm Cementation Canada Inc., reached a milestone in September 2023. After nearly 600 days of operation, the project set a new record for the longest continuous raise bore in the Americas at 1,076 metres (3,529 feet).