Fort Knox (100% ownership and operator) - USA
Kinross acquired the Fort Knox open pit mine,
located near Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1998. The Fort Knox mine
includes the main Fort Knox open pit mine, mill, and tailings
storage facility, an 80% ownership interest in the Gil property
that is subject to a joint venture agreement with Teryl
Resources Corporation and the True North open pit mine (which is
currently suspended). Gold equivalent production for 2005 was
329,320 ounces compared to 338,334 ounces in 2004 and 391,831 in
2003.
Located within the Fairbanks mining district,
a northeast trending belt of lode and placer gold deposits that
comprise one of the largest gold producing areas in the state of
Alaska. Access to the Fort Knox mine from Fairbanks, Alaska is
by 34 kilometers of paved highway and 8 kilometers of unpaved
road. The True North mine is located 18 kilometers west of the
Fort Knox property and is accessible by an unpaved road. The
area has a sub-arctic climate with long cold winters and short
summers.
The Fort Knox deposit is mined by
conventional open pit methods. Mining is carried out on a
year-round basis, seven days a week and the mine production rate
varies between 110,000 and 145,000 tonnes per day of total
material. Ore from the Fort Knox mine is processed at Kinross’
carbon-in-pulp mill, which processes ore 24-hours per day,
year-round and has a daily capacity of between 33,000 to 45,000
tonnes. In mid-2005, Kinross initiated studies examining the
potential to heap leach low-grade ore from the Fort Knox
property, with the view of enhancing Fort Knox economics by
reducing energy consumption.
Selected Production and Operating Information
|
|
|
Years
Ended December 31, |
|
Fort
Knox (100%) |
|
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tonnes
mined |
000s |
12,683 |
10,927 |
12,739 |
|
Tonnes
processed |
000s |
13,050 |
13,239 |
13,685 |
|
Gold
grade |
gpt |
0.90 |
0.94 |
1.07 |
|
Gold
recovery |
% |
86.9% |
84.2% |
83.1% |
|
Gold
equivalent production |
ounces |
329,320 |
338,334 |
391,831 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
US$ MM |
143.1 |
143.9 |
136.3 |
|
Cost of
sales |
US$ MM |
88.1 |
89.2 |
90.3 |
|
Accretion & reclamation expense |
US$ MM |
1.1 |
1.3 |
0.6 |
|
Depreciation, depletion & amortization |
US$ MM |
34.8 |
35.9 |
36.0 |
|
Exploration |
US$ MM |
0.6 |
0.6 |
2.4 |
|
Impairment charge |
US$ MM |
141.8 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
|
Other |
US$ MM |
0.8 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
|
Net
earnings (loss) |
US$ MM |
-124.1 |
16.6 |
7.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unit
costs: |
|
|
|
|
|
Per
gold equivalent ounce produced |
US$/oz |
268 |
264 |
230 |
|
Per
tonne milled |
US$/t |
6.75 |
6.74 |
6.60 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mineral Reserve and Resource Summary
Kinross Gold Corporation’s Share at December 31, 2005
|
|
Tonnes |
Grade |
Ounces |
|
|
( X
1,000) |
(g/t) |
( X
1,000) |
|
Proven
and Probable Reserves |
82,172 |
0.74 |
1,953
|
|
Measured and Indicated Resources |
48,862 |
0.60 |
946 |
|