Category: Buckhorn Exploration Proposal

Echo Bay Exploration (EBE, a fully owned subsidiary of Kinross Gold) announces their withdrawal of the Buckhorn Mountain Exploration Project.

As part of developing new work plan draft, more thorough reports are requested in order to meet the agencies’ expectations for an assessment of the direct impacts of exploration drilling on surface water and ground water resources. Included in the request are: cumulative effects given the active mine, an assessment of mine dewatering impacts on groundwater levels, and impacts of mine operations on groundwater quality.

As part of developing new work plan draft, more thorough reports are requested in order to meet the agencies’ expectations for an assessment of the direct impacts of exploration drilling on surface water and ground water resources. Included in the request are: cumulative effects given the active mine, an assessment of mine dewatering impacts on groundwater levels, and impacts of mine operations on groundwater quality.

Forest Service issues updated Buckhorn Mountain Exploration Project EIS Work Plan.

Forest Service issues Buckhorn Mountain Exploration Project EIS Work Plan, with map depicting proposed road building and drilling locations near Jackson/Cedar Creek roadless area and near Chesaw, two areas of resource conflict.

Forest Service recognizes the proposed 2011 Drilling Program as an action connected to the larger 2012 Exploration Project EIS; decides not to categorically exclude the additional proposed exploration.

Scoping for proposed Buckhorn Exploration Project

BLM also approves a small amount of exempt exploration, claiming exemption from environmental review on account of the small size of the segmented project pieces.

Kinross (as Echo Bay) moves forward with drilling after DNR approves just under the amount that would require environmental review (near the Bolster Creek tributary of Myers Creek).

The proponent requested authorization to:

• Construct up to 675 new drill sites
• Drill up to 965 exploration holes
• Construct up to 33 acres of water conveyance and storage facilities
• Develop up to eight acres of ancillary disturbance
• Construct up to 72.3 miles (380,810 linear feet) of new drill roads
• Utilize up to 20 drill rigs simultaneously, 24/7