Category: Monitoring the Buckhorn Mine

Company stores over 16 million gallons of water underground in mine shafts and mine is flooded. Places to discharge treated water are severely limited.

Mine consultant confirms gaps in the capture zone at annual meeting

Ecology hires qualified staff to replace previous hydrogeologist overseeing the mine’s water quality permits, after a gap of 7 months

OHA recommends use of shotcrete to seal all PAG headings (required but not yet implemented), lining of all mine sumps, and additional investigation of hydrologic pathways and faults

Company installs new reverse osmosis equipment that doubles the treatment capacity to 200 gpm

Scoping begins for proposed Buckhorn Exploration Project

Kinross investigation reveals that the company failed to report significant discharges from the treatment facility that exceeded water quality standards between May and August 2009, and that efforts were taken to make the compliance monitoring data appear better than they actually were

Landslide approximately 25×125 feet, caused by discharge of treated mine water, fells large trees and a significant amount of soil into the headwaters of South Nicholson Creek

Gold Bowl water quality triggers adaptive management

Ecology water quality official retires with no replacement