COMMENTARY — Reclamation not inexpensive

The gold mining industry in the United States spends millions of dollars annually on reclamation efforts.

The planning, design, recontouring, revegetation and maintenance associated with reclamation efforts can cost anywhere from US$2,000 to US$10,000 per acre. For example, a l,000-acre mine site would incur reclamation costs in the US$2-10 million range.

Reclamation includes the restoration of mined land and the surrounding environment to a predetermined beneficial land use. It is considered an integral part of developing and operating a mining project.

Goals of reclamation include recontouring and revegetating the mining site, protecting surface water and groundwater, preventing water and wind erosion of the soil, and developing wildlife habitat.

The reclamation process is ongoing; it begins before the mine starts operations and continues until the site either has been returned to a naturally

vegetated state or a specific post-mining land use has been successfully established.

Reclamation planning is an important part of developing a mining project and is central to the mine’s design, operations and gold recovery process. Before mining can begin, mining operators must submit a detailed reclamation plan, including financial details to cover these costs and a monitoring plan to determine reclamation success, for the approval of the appropriate regulatory agencies.

There are more than 30 federal environmental laws and regulations that cover various aspects of hard-rock mining on public lands throughout the United States.

Gold mines on public lands must follow reclamation requirements set by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management or U.S. Forest Service.

In addition, every state in which gold mining occurs today has a stringent state reclamation law, except Arizona which has a groundwater quality law and other statutes to protect the environment during and after mining. — From a fact sheet prepared by producer Amax Gold.