RECLAMATION PLAN
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE MINE SITE AFTER ALL OF THE GOLD HAD BEEN MINED-OUT?
The Plan
A Reclamation and Closure Plan is required by law to ensure that when mining activity is completed, the mine is closed and the land is returned to a stable condition. The plans for restoring the native landscape are worked out in great detail and submitted to the permitting agencies for approval before the project is given a go-ahead.
Reclamation involves recontouring the land, covering it with topsoil where needed, and seeding it with vegetation native to the area. Long after the mine is closed, water quality monitoring would continue, along with water treatment if it is needed to meet water quality standards. At the close of operations, any final decisions regarding closure and reclamation would be made in agreement with the landowners and regulators.
The Guarantee
To ensure that reclamation is carried out, the law requires the company to provide financial assurance that the mine will be closed according to the permit requirements even if the company goes bankrupt. This can take the form of a bond or other financial insurance that is independently guaranteed.
DONLIN RECLAMATION AND CLOSURE CONCEPTS
The Pit
It is proposed that the open pit would be allowed to fill with water and become a lake over a period of many years. The water quality of the lake would be continuously monitored to ensure that it is not toxic to wildlife. Before any water is discharged into the environment it will be treated to meet water quality standards.
The Tailings
Tailings are pulverized rock, the consistency of silt, covered with a shallow layer of water. After the close of mining and milling activities, excess water would be pumped from the tailings storage facility to the pit lake. The area would then be covered with rock, gravel, and soil, and seeded with native grasses.
Waste Rock
The waste rock facility and other disturbed areas would be reclaimed by being recontoured, covered with topsoil as needed, and seeded with a grass mix. Over time native trees and plants would naturally reclaim the area.
The Buildings and Equipment
The buildings and equipment would be taken apart and removed. Some material would be buried in permitted on-site landfill trenches that would be covered with soil, as required by regulatory agencies.