2007 Full Report - Kinross Gold

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Tailings, which consist of ground rock and residual process effluents, are an importantcomponent of waste management for many gold mining operations. At our facilities, tailingsare placed into engineered storage facilities – usually behind dams built on land near themine, known as tailings dams. After mining stops at a site, tailings dams are decommissionedand reclaimed to ensure that they become a part of the post-mine land use and pose nohazard to the public or environment.Tailings Managementat ParacatuAt Paracatu, a 740-hectaretailings area, contained by an82-metre-high earth dam,enables the recovery andreuse of the majority of thewater used in the operation.The dam was built andoperates in compliance withstandards established by theInternational Committeeon Large Dams. Annualthird-party inspection andcertification ensure that thedam is maintained andoperated safely. The facilityreceives tailings that settle,allowing for the recovery ofwater, which is then reused inore processing. Because ofour water managementsystems, including a programto predict and control aciddrainage, the tailings damis also able to functionas a bird sanctuary.The objective of our tailings management program is to design, build and operate tailingsstructures that are:• physically stable under all anticipated conditions and that meet regulatory andengineering guidelines;• chemically stable, such that the quality of any seepage or surface run-off doesnot endanger human health or the environment; and• able to be closed at the end of mine life in a manner compatible with the surroundingland use, and which have a minimal impact on the environment.We also require an annual review of our tailings facilities by a third-party engineer,to help further ensure their stability and safety.Waste RockEach operation has its own waste rock management plan that outlines procedures toidentify and manage materials that may be subject to leaching, including acids, metalsor other substances that could potentially impact surface or groundwater. Waste rock pilesare designed and constructed to be stable. We have company-wide systems to regularlymonitor and inspect waste piles to ensure that they are being maintained in accordancewith our standards. If waste material such as bedrock or development rock is geochemicallysuitable, it can be used as a source of fill, road base or for other construction purposes.Waste management programs at both our Paracatu mine and Buckhorn project aredesigned specifically to prevent the formation of acid rock drainage.Managing Cyanide ResponsiblyCyanide is one of the most efficient and safe reagents for the extraction of gold from rock.Consistent with our commitment to EHS best practices, we have committed to complyingwith the International Cyanide Management Code. This voluntary code, developed by a multistakeholdergroup under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, includesa requirement for third-party certification. The Code focuses on the safe manufacture,transportation, storage, use and decommissioning of cyanide and associated facilities.Going well beyond legal requirements in most of our locations, the Code establisheshigh EHS design and operating standards for all Kinross operations.Round Mountain received Cyanide Code certification in May 2007, after being auditedin 2006, becoming the fourth mine in the world to receive this certification. Paracatu wasaudited in late 2007, and we expect certification in 2008. Fort Knox completed its audit inOctober 2007 and received its certification in early 2008. Our goal for 2008 is to certifyMaricunga, and potentially La Coipa. Kettle River-Buckhorn plans to complete the CyanideCode audit in 2008 and expects to be certified in 2009. A summary report of ourCyanide Code certification status is posted at www.cyanidecode.org.
Round Mountain’sparticipation hasearned it the twolargest awards inthe history of theSure Bet Program.Focusing on Energy Conservation: Sure Bet ProgramSince 2006, our Round Mountain operation in Nevada has participated in the SureBet Program, an energy conservation program offered by Sierra Pacific Power, thelocal energy provider for the mine. The program awards financial incentives annuallyto Sierra Pacific customers who can demonstrate significant results from energysaving improvements. Round Mountain’s participation has earned it the two largestawards in the history of the program.In 2006, Kinross’ Technical Services team, in coordination with Round Mountain’splant maintenance group, developed a business case for participating in the SureBet Program that required an up-front investment of $180,000 in new equipmentto lower energy consumption at the operation. The plan involved replacing four600-horsepower variable frequency drives with soft-start drives, and installing anoverflow bypass system in the mill that allowed the shutdown of a 50-horsepowerreclaim water pump. These improvements resulted in energy savings of 3.34 millionkilowatt hours and an award from Sierra Pacific of $100,000.In 2007, Kinross’ Technical Services team, again in coordination with RoundMountain’s plant maintenance group, completed a plan to invest $1.08 millionin upgrades to the electric mining shovel fleet and to install more energy-efficientlighting. The upgrades included the replacement of 15-year-old analog drives inthree mining shovels with new digital drives, resulting in savings of nearly 30% inenergy consumed per shovel, in addition to improving shovel productivity. In total,the 2007 upgrades yielded additional annualized energy savings of 7.3 millionkilowatt hours and a cheque from Sierra Pacific for $202,824.Plans for 2008 at Round Mountain include additional upgrades to pump drives andlighting that could save 2.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity in addition to thereductions made in 2006 and 2007.Page 55 Kinross 2007 corporate responsibility report
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072007CORPORATERESPONSIBILITY REPOR
Page 3 and 4:
...the Kinross WayThe growth of Kin
Page 5 and 6: A letter from Tye BurtPresident and
Page 7 and 8: Future ChallengesThere are a number
Page 9 and 10: We have addressedthe full range ofm
Page 11 and 12: Managing for corporate responsibili
Page 13 and 14: outine inspections, independent ass
Page 15 and 16: mining processing closure/reclamati
Page 17 and 18: Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Page 19 and 20: stakeholders on issues of mutual co
Page 21 and 22: Economic performanceOur commitment
Page 23 and 24: • Payments to Providers of Capita
Page 26 and 27: DaytrippersEnvironmentalEducationIn
Page 28 and 29: GUILLERMO CONTRERASDirector, Corpor
Page 30 and 31: OUR PEOPLE AND WORKPLACEAt the hear
Page 32 and 33: Page 30 Kinross 2007 corporate resp
Page 34 and 35: Occupational Health and WellnessOur
Page 36 and 37: Key Facts• Mandatory EHS training
Page 38 and 39: Compensation and BenefitsOf our glo
Page 40 and 41: The Quilombola andthe Paracatu Expa
Page 42 and 43: Our relationship withthe Colla peop
Page 44 and 45: At Round Mountain, employees are gi
Page 46 and 47: Reaching a LandmarkAgreement inWash
Page 48 and 49: KEVIN EPPERSSenior Environmental En
Page 50 and 51: Page 48 Kinross 2007 corporate resp
Page 52 and 53: Fort KnoxTailings OperationIn late
Page 54 and 55: Energy Use Intensity(Megajoules/ton
Page 58 and 59: Our Round Mountain and Maricunga op
Page 60 and 61: In partnership withChile’s Nation
Page 62 and 63: GlossaryAPELL The Awareness and Pre
Page 64 and 65: Awards and recognitionSelected as a
Page 66: Kinross Gold Corporation40 King Str
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2007 Full Report - Kinross Gold

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