Contact:
Matt Ganley
BSNC Vice President of Media & External Affairs
(907) 632-7197
Bering Straits Native Corporation’s (BSNC) subsidiary Alaska Gold Company (AGC) is pleased to announce that reclamation activities at the Rock Creek Mine have come to a successful close. The Rock Creek Mine was included in the 2012 purchase of AGC by BSNC, and BSNC then spent two years analyzing the potential for restarting the mine. In 2014, AGC and BSNC decided to proceed with reclamation of the mine when it was determined that it could not be reopened as a profitable venture.
The majority of the work this past season involved removing water diversion infrastructure and roads, re-contouring the mine site to reestablish natural waterflow and drainage, and reseeding reclaimed areas. In their report the DNR noted, “The recontouring of sloped areas blends well with the surrounding topography. The resloping of roads and the construction of rock armored channels and low water crossings appear to be performing well at promoting sheet flow of surface water runoff. Vegetation growth appears to be developing well on recently seeded areas, and establishing well on previously seeded areas. Visually the site looked good, and the extensive work completed this past summer was evident to the agencies. The completed reclamation work appears to meet the requirements of the Rock Creek Mine Reclamation and Closure Plan – Amended.”
While the Rock Creek project was not successful as a producing mine, the reclamation made use of local labor and businesses which provided economic benefit to the region and BSNC’s shareholders. Tumet Industries LLC, a construction firm owned by Kawerak, Inc. was contracted to fulfill the reclamation plan and worked with BSNC subsidiary staff. During the 5 months of work at the site more than 30 shareholders or shareholder descendants/family members worked for Tumet.
“The reclamation of the Rock Creek Mine brings closure to a project that began in 2006 with the construction of the mill, gold circuit, and tailing storage facility by Novagold,” said BSNC President and CEO Gail Schubert . “BSNC/AGC have been committed to cooperatively working with State and Federal agencies to ensure that the land and waters in the vicinity of the mine are properly restored. I thank the management and staff of the Anchorage and Nome offices, and Tumet Industries, LLC, for their well-executed and successful team effort on this reclamation project.”