Kinross maintains an excellent track record of successful closure and reclamation of mined lands. At our active mines, closure and reclamation considerations remain an integral part of our operation strategies.
In 2015, Paracatu’s Santo Antonio tailings storage facility reached full capacity and the team ramped up a closure plan focusing on reclaiming the 537 hectares of land closest to the dam, while tailings reprocessing continues in areas furthest from the dam.
The project remains on track with 355 hectares now reclaimed – 65% of the total area in this phase of recovery – with completion expected over a five-year period.
The mine established a multidisciplinary oversight committee to support the closure plan with the goal of creating a permanently stable landscape compatible with the surrounding environment and to provide future land use for the community.
The team worked closely with universities, conducting field trials and using research on physical reclamation process techniques and post-closure land use options. One program includes partnering with 20 local farmers to grow seedlings to support revegetation in the area.
A top priority for the team is to prevent acid rock drainage by covering the exposed tailings with soil to minimize water and oxygen filtration, thus preventing groundwater contamination.
The Santo Antonio closure plan is part of the site’s risk-based approach to studying post-closure scenarios and is the first stage of an overall plan for future land use. Following this stage, a series of consultations will be done with local authorities, communities and other stakeholders to evaluate their needs and integrate them into future land use plans.
To learn more about Kinross’ integrated closure process at Santo Antonio, visit page 54 of our 2019 Sustainability Report or view our reclamation and closure section on Kinross.com here.
