Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- ROM/dump leach
- Carbon in column (CIC)
- Carbon adsorption-desorption-recovery (ADR)
- Cyanide (reagent)
|
Mine Life | 2023 |
The largest mine site by area in the U.S. |
Source:
p. 61
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Kinross Gold Corp.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
KG Mining (Bald Mountain) Inc.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
The Bald Mountain mine is owned and operated by Kinross’ wholly-owned subsidiary KG Mining (Bald Mountain) Inc. (“KGBMI”).
Source:
p.63
Summary:
Placer gold (with minor copper, silver, and antimony) was initially mined in the Bald Mountain area from the 1870s to 1890s. Modern exploration for bulk disseminated gold deposits commenced in the late1970s. Since 1977, gold exploration has mainly focused on defining the outcropping, oxide gold deposits.
Source:
p.64
Summary:
The Bald Mountain operation is an open pit mining operation with production from a number of different pits. The three main deposits are represent more than 77% of the known reserves. Bald Mountain includes several deposits scattered over the property, and two run of mine (“ROM”) leach pads (Bald Mountain and Mooney).
Source:
p.2-3
Processing
- ROM/dump leach
- Carbon in column (CIC)
- Carbon adsorption-desorption-recovery (ADR)
- Cyanide (reagent)
Source:
p.2-3
Summary:
Bald Mountain recovers gold using multiple ROM heap leach pads. Gold is extracted from the ore with a cyanide solution and collected on activated carbon in CIC plants. Loaded carbon is shipped off-site for further processing and ultimate gold refining. The mining recovery is high because the ore blocks are large compared to the selective mining unit, and close to all of the material outlined as ore in the grade control process is mined. Selectivity of the ore mining is minimal due to the low cut-off grade and the fact that the grade control outlines large blocks of ore-grade material for mining. Whenever possible, ore blocks are oriented square to the dig direction – minimizing ore loss and dilution.
The process operations are divided between two separately permitted operations; the Bald Mountain Mine Area located on the western portion of the mine property and the Mooney Basin Area located on the eastern portion of the property.
The Bald Mountain Mine Area includes:
• Process Area #1 which is no longer in operation. This consisted of a leach, five process ponds and a process building. The facilities have been decommissioned and the ponds backfilled. The area is currently under reclamation.
• Process Area #2 includes leach pads (Bald Leach Pad (previously pads 2 through 4) and Leach Pad 5), Settling Pond (PS1), Overflow Pond (POF1) and Secondary Pond (P4), two pregnant solution ponds (P5 and P6), Barren Pond (P7), Carbon-in-Column (CIC) process plant and cyanide offloading facility. The process plant used to have a carbon stripping, carbon regeneration and gold refining facilities, but these were decommissioned in 2012.
The Mooney Basin Area includes three process areas:
• North Area Facility, comprising a leach pad (Original Pad and Expansion Pads I, II, and III), two process solution ponds, a storm/event pond, Carbon in-Column (CIC) process plant and cyanide off-loading facility;
• South Area Facility, comprising Leach Pad 4, a process solution pond, a storm/event pond, a solution collection tank, CIC plant and cyanide off loading facility.
• Deep South Area Facility, comprising Leach Pad 5, a process solution pond, one storm/event pond, and a solution collection tank. Pregnant solution from this facility is piped to the South Area CIC plant for processing.
Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Gold Equivalent
|
Head Grade, g/t
| 0.42 | 0.43 | 0.8 | 0.64 |
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Gold Equivalent
|
oz
| 187,961 | 284,646 | 282,715 | 130,144 | | |
Gold
|
koz
| | | | | 191 | 161 |
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Ore tonnes mined
| 15,806 kt | 24,477 kt | 21,615 kt | 10,656 kt |
Tonnes processed
| 16,475 kt | 23,654 kt | 21,615 kt | 10,656 kt |
Stripping / waste ratio
| | | | 2.8 |
Daily mining capacity
| | | | 260 kt |
Reserves at December 31, 2019:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Probable
|
63,999 kt
|
Gold
|
0.6 g/t
|
1,277 koz
|
Measured
|
8,556 kt
|
Gold
|
0.8 g/t
|
232 koz
|
Indicated
|
189,548 kt
|
Gold
|
0.6 g/t
|
3,630 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
198,104 kt
|
Gold
|
0.6 g/t
|
3,862 koz
|
Inferred
|
47,936 kt
|
Gold
|
0.5 g/t
|
808 koz
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Cash costs (sold)
|
Gold Equivalent
|
USD
|
768 / oz
|
547 / oz
|
642 / oz
|
1,182 / oz
|
|
|
|
Cash costs
|
Gold
|
USD
|
|
|
|
723 / oz
|
628 / oz
|
724 / oz
|
894 / oz
|
All-in sustaining costs (AISC)
|
Gold
|
USD
|
|
|
|
1,692 / oz
|
1,132 / oz
|
1,070 / oz
|
2,182 / oz
|
Financials:
| Units | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
| 220.7 | 149.9 | 90.5 | 40.5 |
Revenue
|
M USD
| 249.2 | 403.9 | 331.5 | 139.6 |
Operating Income
|
M USD
| 12.7 | 110.7 | 68.5 | -37.4 |
Gross profit
|
M USD
| 33.1 | 130.1 | 79.1 | -30.7 |
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of June 29, 2016:
Source:
p.9
HME Type | Model | Quantity |
Shovel
|
P&H 2800 XPC
|
2
|
Shovel
|
Hitachi EX 5500
|
1
|
Shovel
|
Hitachi EX5600
|
1
|
Shovel
|
Hitachi EX3600
|
1
|
Truck (haul)
|
Komatsu 830E-AC
|
23
|
Truck (haul)
|
Caterpillar 785
|
9
|
Truck (haul)
|
Komatsu 830E D/C
|
5
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations: