Hayden Hill

Hayden Hill Mine (located 55 miles NW of Susanville in Lassen county), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kinross Gold Corporation, was awarded the prestigious 2000 "Excellence in Reclamation" award at the California Mining Association's 2001 Annual Conference held in Monterey. The Excellence in Reclamation award recognizes those mining companies that achieve excellence in reclamation planning and implementation.

The Hayden Hill Mine was constructed in 1991. A single waste depository was contemplated to handle the life of mine production. However, in 1993, the 210-acre facility experienced a series of small structural failures, culminating in a major failure the next year. In conjunction with third party geotechnical experts, Kinross initiated a three-year data collection and analysis period to identify the cause of these failures and develop a long-term solution. Investigators determined the depository site had experienced instability in its geologic past, prior to any human activities. Multiple alternatives for stabilization of the site were considered.

Following analysis of the geologic data, Kinross developed a mitigation plan that would achieve slope reliability factors consistent with pre-mining conditions. The plan was then refined based on input from federal, state, and local regulators, as well as public comment. This plan was implemented in 2000 and includes regrading to mitigate stress on critical slopes, capping select areas with impervious material to reduce infiltration, constructing drainage blankets on the toes of certain slopes, and finally establishing native vegetation to minimize infiltration and provide surface stability. Applauded by local regulators, the project has been a great success. Nevertheless, a sophisticated monitoring system has been installed to provide ongoing information and ensure long-term sustainability.

Excellence in Reclamation

Adin, California, June 6, 2001 -- Lassen Gold Mining - Hayden Hill Mine (located 55 miles NW of Susanville in Lassen county), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kinross Gold Corporation, was awarded the prestigious 2000 "Excellence in Reclamation" award at the recent California Mining Association's 2001 Annual Conference held in Monterey. The Excellence in Reclamation award recognizes those mining companies that achieve excellence in reclamation planning and implementation.

"We are extremely pleased with the outstanding success of reclamation work to date - it is definitely something our community can be proud of" said Delbert Parr, manager of the project. The Lassen County Board of Supervisors and the Alturas office of the Bureau of Land Management nominated Lassen Gold Mining for this distinguished award. Lassen Gold's success is demonstrated by their effective reclamation work as they move towards final closure of the operation.

Photo Availibility: To request a digital photo, please contact dparr@hdo.net.