by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has awarded the annual Mine Reclamation Award to Donlin Gold, LLC and Calista Corporation for their outstanding reclamation efforts of exploratory work done at the Donlin Gold Project.
Since 1994, State regulators have bestowed Mine Reclamation Awards to members of Alaska’s mining industry that exceed reclamation standards, as documented by the Division of Mining, Land & Water.
The 2024 award recognizes the Donlin Gold Project’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sets a high standard for responsible mining practices in Alaska. The Donlin Project is a proposed open-pit, hardrock gold mine located approximately 10 miles north of Crooked Creek in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta area of southwest Alaska.
The mine site is located on Alaska Native lands owned by The Kuskokwim Corporation (surface estate) and Calista Corporation (subsurface estate). Donlin Gold, LLC is jointly owned by Barrick Gold US Inc. and NovaGold Resources Alaska, Inc.
“The Alaska Department of Natural Resources extends our congratulations to Calista Corporation and Donlin Gold, LLC for their exemplary stewardship of the land at the Donlin Gold Project,” said Dave Charron, DNR geologist and mine permitting manager. “This Mine Reclamation Award recognizes the Donlin Gold Project’s commitment to low-impact exploratory activities and implementation of industry-leading reclamation measures.”
“Safety and land stewardship are integral to the Donlin Gold Project,” Tisha Kuhns, Calista Corp. vice president of land and natural resources. “As the mineral estate owner, Calista is grateful for the partnership we have with Donlin Gold, LLC and the surface landowner, The Kuskokwim Corporation, that continues to put these two things at the center of everything we do at the project.”
While all miners in Alaska are obligated by state law to “reclaim” their mining operations, the Donlin Project has gone well beyond these requirements. The project has achieved rapid re-establishment of dense native and beneficial vegetation at reclaimed exploratory sites through the judicious use of stockpiled organics and topsoil, as well as targeted manual reseeding efforts that are not mandated by performance standards.
The project has also minimized the use of fill material for exploratory roads, trails, drill pads, and sites around the project. Additionally, Donlin Gold has showcased innovative geomorphic reclamation techniques, with final grading completed to carefully mimic and blend with pre-disturbance land contours.
