2007 Full Report - Kinross Gold

Upon cessation of mining operations, responsibility for the demolition of facilities, finalreclamation and compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements is assumed byKinross’ reclamation business unit. Established as a separate organization within thecompany in 2002, this unit ensures that best practices are employed across the companyand that Kinross’ reclamation obligations are promptly and efficiently fulfilled. Over thepast four years, this unit has completed sufficient reclamation at 12 former miningoperations to allow those properties to be sold to other land users.Land Use(Hectares)6114,7996204,9766306,214A key element in our reclamation success is our record of working closely with relevantregulatory agencies and key stakeholders to implement sound technical reclamationapproaches that are specific to each project’s characteristics. An example of this is at theformer Haile site in South Carolina, where we combined engineered capping and drainagesystems with an in-pit semi-passive water treatment system to ensure water qualityobjectives were met. Another more recent reclamation achievement is the former DeLamarmine in Idaho. For more information on DeLamar, see the case study on page 58.In Brazil, we have an extensive reclamation program in place at Paracatu. The programincludes reforestation, plant nurseries, and a project to revitalize Rico Creek fromcontaminants left by previous miners before Kinross acquired the property.Our reclamation program at Kubaka, in Russia, while typical of other Kinross sites,constituted a new approach for hard rock mines in that region. Even before miningoperations were complete, much work had been accomplished to reclaim the landdisturbed by mining. Following cessation of ore processing in 2006, Kinross became,to our knowledge, the first company in the Magadan region to conduct reclamationactivities on the surface of a tailings disposal area.05 06 07ReclaimedDisturbed and UnreclaimedKinross’ land useincreased in 2007,reflecting the additionof the Julietta mine andKupol projects in theBema acquisition.Reclaimed areasassociated with closedsites are not includedin this figure.While our approach to reclamation is aimed at efficiently and cost-effectively meeting ourobligations, environmental protection is never compromised. We understand that ourreclaimed mining operations are a long-lasting symbol of who we are as a company.BiodiversityEnvironmental stewardship at Kinross includes the identification and assessment of biologicalcommunities in the vicinity of our operations. Where there is potential for impacts to thosecommunities, mining operations are designed to avoid, minimize or mitigate their effects.As a standard part of all environmental impact analyses, we evaluate any potential impacton biodiversity, and if there is an impact, we outline the proposed steps that will be takento mitigate it. In general, none of our operations has a significant impact on any sensitivelisted species.As discussed in the case study on page 59, our Paracatu operation in Brazil is workingwith the University of Brasilia to conduct biological surveys of local flora and fauna withthe objective of developing models to examine local impacts of our activities on thelandscape. For the past eight years, the Paracatu site has also run a bird-monitoringprogram. Since 2004, 207 local students, teachers and other authorities have participatedin this program.Upon mine closure,Kinross systematicallyreclaims land affectedby mining for productivepost-mining land uses.Page 57 Kinross 2007 corporate responsibility report