Toronto, Ontario - Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX-K;
NYSE-KGC) ("Kinross") is pleased to announce that it is one of the
recipients of the Bureau of Land Management's 2004 Reclamation and
Sustainable Development / Hardrock Mineral Environmental Awards.
This award recognizes Round Mountain Gold Corporation's reclamation
accomplishments at the Manhattan Mine in Nye County, Nevada. Round
Mountain Gold Corporation is a joint venture between Kinross Gold
Corporation and Barrick Gold Corporation.
The Honorable Gale Norton, Secretary of the U.S. Department of
the Interior, and Bureau of Land Management Director, Kathleen
Clarke, presented the award today at a luncheon ceremony at the
National Mining Association's MineExpo in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mark
Ioli, the Kinross Environmental Manager who supervised the
reclamation work at the Manhattan Mine, accepted this award on
behalf of Round Mountain Gold Corporation.
In a written statement, Secretary Norton described the awards as
"an important tool in demonstrating the successes of mine
reclamation and land stewardship around the country. Our goal is to
recognize and showcase mining operations that have demonstrated
outstanding performance in reclaiming mined land and in
reducing environmental impacts on the nation's land and water
resources. Companies that win these awards have achieved the
highest standards of performance and are fully deserving of this
recognition.
Bob Buchan, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "this
award symbolizes the Company's dedication to world class
sustainable development. I am very proud of the people at Round
Mountain who had the drive, determination and vision to make this
happen."
Jerry Danni, Senior Vice President, Environmental, Health and
Safety, further expressed the Company's enthusiasm about being an
award recipient, "This award demonstrates Kinross' corporate
commitment to environmental excellence, to effective and innovative
reclamation, and to working collaboratively with regulators and the
communities in which we operate. We are pleased and proud to
receive this recognition for our efforts."
The Manhattan Mine is the first Nevada mine to receive this
honor. Some of the outstanding reclamation achievements at the
Manhattan Mine include innovative reclamation designs that
stabilized or removed historic mine features, eliminated public
hazards, and shaped piles of waste rock into landforms that blended
with the surroundings. The reclamation plan pioneered a new and
effective technique for treating water used in the mining process.
The gravity-driven system permanently contains solutions in a lined
facility, protecting groundwater better than conventional closure
methods, with virtually no long-term maintenance. Reclamation of
the Manhattan Mine was planned and performed in collaboration with
the community and state and federal regulators.