Environment, Health & Safety

Producing and Protecting

Coeur has a strong regard for environmental protection, health and safety. We conduct all of our activities in such a manner as to protect the physical environment, our employees, and the general public. We believe a “safe mine is a productive mine.” The safety of employees and related personnel is based in part on individual commitment. We manage and work at all our mines under the principle that any harm to employees or property is preventable. We comply with applicable environmental and public safety laws and regulations and develop and implement a comprehensive program to ensure compliance. We are both responsible and responsive in matters relating to environmental protection, health and safety. This policy can be simply stated as: “Producing and Protecting.”

Our Environmental, Health and Safety mission is simple:

The Company designs and operates all of our facilities to protect the environment and the health and safety of our employees and the general public.

The Company implements reasonable operational procedures to ensure we are effective in addressing environmental, health and safety concerns. In particular, we:

Conduct environmental, health and safety audits of operations and activities to ensure compliance, reduce liabilities, improve profitability and report these findings;
Conduct appropriate research to develop more effective methods for environmental, health and safety protection;
Establish accountability for all employees to exert leadership and commitment to continual improvement in environmental, health and safety awareness; and
Insure employee awareness of the policy and their involvement in its implementation.

We encourage and are involved in the development of reasonable environmental, heath and safety legislation and regulations, and we work cooperatively with appropriate local, state, and national regulatory agencies on matters of reporting, review and compliance.

We develop, obtain, and disseminate pertinent information to our employees through on-going training programs to alert them to environmental, health and safety trends and concerns.

Supporting the Community

The company seeks to become an integral part of our operating communities through active involvement by our employees in local civic, charitable, and educational organizations. By becoming part of the solution to community challenges, the company builds trust and sustaining relationships that go beyond our mining operations. In addition, our financial support of local projects and organizations helps to improve the quality of life in these locations. Our community involvement fosters a better understanding of mining’s benefits and effects, and also encourages a mutual-gain approach to issues affecting employees, the community and the company.

The mutual-gain approach to project development, safe operation, and closure provides a platform for continual dialogue to identify and address community concerns, encourage innovative solutions, accept responsibility, act in a trustworthy fashion, and focus on building long-term relationships. Mining today must continue to earn the social license to successfully operate and Coeur’s approach has earned the company over 20 national and international environmental and safety awards.

Environmental Awards

2006 - Coeur Alaska's Kensington Gold Mine received the Bureau of Land Management's Hardrock Mineral Community Outreach and Economic Security Award. This award is presented to Coeur Alaska for responsible mineral resource development while demonstrating an understanding of sustainable development.

2004 - Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Rochester mine in Nevada is named recipient of the Habitat Restoration Award from the Nevada Division of Wildlife. This award is presented to Coeur Rochester for developing additional bat habitat in the Nevada Packard project area.

2003 - Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Rochester mine in Nevada is named recipient of the Corporate Conservationist of the Year – 2003 by Bat Conservation International.

2000 - Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Rochester mine in Nevada is named recipient of the Nevada Excellence in Mining Reclamation – Wildlife Enhancement Award.

1997 - Robert “Rick” Richins, Vice President Environmental and Governmental Affairs, named recipient of the Environmental Conservation Distinguished Service Award, the top environmental awarded from the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME).

1997 - Coeur’s CDE Chilean Mining Corporation receives an award from the Executive Commission of Sociedad Nacional de Mineria acknowledging its participation in, and contribution to, the development of Chilean Environmental regulations. CDE Chilean Mining Corporation occupied an executive position on the Commission.

1996 – Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Rochester mine in Nevada is named recipient of the American Cultural Resources Association Industry Award for 1996. This award is presented to Coeur Rochester for integrating cultural resources into the environmental planning process for the mine’s development.

1995 – Coeur d’Alene Mines’ New Zealand Golden Cross mine is the recipient of an environmental award from the Environmental Waikato Regional Council, which cited the mine for its environmental initiatives to preserves wildlife habitat.

1994 – Coeur d’Alene Mines’ New Zealand Golden Cross mine receives certification from the Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Council (WHEC) for incorporating wildlife habitat enhancement into its mine plan and completing the habitat enhancement goals.

1994 – Dennis E. Wheeler, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Coeur, is named recipient of the Environmental Conservation Distinguished Service Award; the top environmental award from the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME).

1993 – Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Rochester mine in Nevada gained special recognition from the Nevada Waterfowl Association and Ducks Unlimited for the Humboldt Sink Wetlands Island Project.

1993 – Coeur d’Alene Mines is Honor Roll recipient of the National Environmental Development Association “Star” for designing a “preplanning to avoid pollution” program that involves extensive documentation of environmental baselines, development and implementation of better transport and emergency response plans for hazardous materials, water treatment, and emissions reductions. The “Star” awards is also granted for Coeur’s outstanding project planning, design and operation, which incorporated habitat restoration and environmental enhancement and community outreach programs, such as providing environmental education scholarship to University students and employee community action projects.

1992 – Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Thunder Mountain mine in Idaho receives certification from the Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Council (WHEC) for incorporating wildlife habitat enhancement into its mine plan and completing the habitat enhancement goals.

1991 – Coeur d’Alene Mines is named the first annual recipient of the DuPont/Conoco Environmental Leadership Award for Coeur’s overall commitment to environmental management, its environmental compliance record, and the ongoing reclamation/selection committee was comprised of a representative from the Sierra Club, the USDA Forest Service (Minerals Management), Mineral Policy Center, Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Council and US Representative Nick Rahall.

1991 & 1988 – Coeur d’Alene Mines receives the Nevada Department of Wildlife habitat Enhancement Award for accomplishments related to Rochester mine’s Sage Grouse Relocation and Mitigation Program.

1989 – Coeur d’Alene Mines receives the Northwest Mining Association Platinum Award Operating Excellence for Coeur’s implementation of environmental programs.

1989 – Coeur d’Alene Mines receives the State of Idaho Outstanding Achievement Award for Coeur’s outstanding environmental compliance record and for the Thunder Mountain reclamation program. The selection process for this award involved federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management and the USDA – Forest Service.

1989 – Coeur d’Alene Mines receives the Northwest Mining Association “Starters Award” for Coeur’s environmental education program. Coeur’s achievement included development of “modularized” teacher programs and involvement in cooperative rulemaking efforts with regulatory agencies in Idaho and Oregon.

1988 & 1989 – Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Idaho Thunder Mountain mine receives Outstanding Achievement Award – Excellence in Operations and Reclamation – award jointly by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Department of Lands, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

1987 – Coeur d’Alene Mines’ Thunder Mountain mine in Idaho is nominated by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for, and receives, the Pacific Northwest Pollution Control Association – Industrial Facility Award – having been the most environmentally responsible operation facility in the Pacific Northwest.