Open Pit Gold Mine - Innovative Reclamation
The Ruby Hill Mine is an open-pit gold mine located
approximately 1 mile northwest of Eureka, Nevada, and is operated by Homestake
Mining Company. Construction of the mine began in early 1997, and commercial
production began January 1, 1998. Since its inception, the Ruby Hill Mine has
exhibited outstanding innovation in its design, mitigation, and reclamation. For
these reasons, the mine was awarded the 1999 Nevada Excellence in Mining
Reclamation Award. Cooperative agency partnerships formed early in the project
design phase resulted in streamlined and efficient permitting for the project. A
local citizen's advisory group was formed which meets on a quarterly basis to
keep residents current on mine progress and to address any issues which may
affect the local community.
Ruby Hill has employed concurrent reclamation practices since initial
exploration. In less than two years, over 130 acres of final and nearly 80 acres
of interim reclamation have been completed. This represents nearly a third of
the total disturbance anticipated over the mine's seven year life. All rock
dumps are sloped at gradual 3:1 angles or less and designed in a lobed
configuration to blend in with adjacent foothills and landforms.
Run-of-mine sediment material is utilized on the outer fringes of the dumps
to provide effective growth medium without the need for topsoil. Disturbed areas
such as roadsides, stormwater ditches, and structural slopes are being
continuously revegetated to facilitate erosion control as well as provide
improved aesthetical value. Reclamation seed mixes are a blend of native
grasses, forbs, and wildflowers. Over 10,000 native shrub seedlings have been
planted and have demonstrated excellent survival rates.
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The Mine has also employed several mitigation measures to offset potential
impacts to local wildlife. Most notable of these is the construction of six
artificial nesting structures for ferrunginous hawks and the installation of
steel bat gates in two nearby abandoned mine shafts. The hawk artificial nesting
structures represent the first attempted in Nevada. The resulting success has
been excellent, yielding an average of 2.5 young per nest. These birds are
managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a sensitive species, and
the success of the Ruby Hill program suggests that artificial nests can be
successfully utilized to decrease disturbance impacts and may even enhance or
increase species production.
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Ruby Hill has also installed two bat gates to lessen potential impacts to
existing bat colonies near the mine site. The gates are constructed of steel
rebar and have a lockable man-gate to allow Ruby Hill employees access for
monitoring activities. The gates were designed to allow easy ingress and egress
for resident bats while discouraging human entry.
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The countryside surrounding the mine is rich in mining history. Prior to mine
construction, Homestake Mining Company completed an assessment of cultural
resources in the area to identify potential historical sites. An Historic
Preservation Treatment Plan was developed between Homestake, BLM, the State
Historic Preservation Office, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
This plan outlined a detailed schedule which included additional assessment of
numerous historical sites in and around the mine site. Artifacts discovered
during this study as well as historic pieces of mining equipment were donated to
state museums and the town of Eureka. Ruby Hill Mine also constructed an
historical roadside marker near the entrance to the mine site off Highway 50.
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Homestake Mining Company's Ruby Hill Mine was designed to serve as an example
to the modem gold mining industry. An innovative technical approach allows for
gold to be recovered economically while still protecting the environment. This,
coupled with an active local citizens advisory group, effective concurrent
reclamation, wildlife and cultural enhancement measures, and a dedicated mine
workforce, combine to make the Ruby Hill Mine a leader in mining reclamation and
innovation.
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