Environmental Stewardship

Responsible planning and proper resource management are the cornerstones of Coeur’s well-earned reputation for environmental stewardship practices. Coeur is committed to environmental excellence in all mining activities from initial exploration to final restoration.

Mine life-cycle stewardship requires careful planning and implementation, and must be incorporated into the earliest stages of exploration and project planning and design, and continues throughout construction, operations, project closure and rehabilitation. In every phase of the mining life-cycle, Coeur upholds our commitment to responsible mining.

Coeur’s focus on long-term sustainability and commitment to resource management has been affirmed by numerous state and federal agencies. The Company believes that prompt restoration ensures that lands impacted by mining are restored to other productive uses as quickly and completely as possible. Throughout the Company’s rich history, Coeur has been recognized and awarded for reclamation programs which have returned mined lands to flourishing and productive ecosystems for our host communities.

Golden Cross Reclamation Project

The Golden Cross Mine in New Zealand was originally developed in the 1800s. The current project is a joint venture between Coeur Gold New Zealand and Viking Mining. This sulfide mine commenced operations in 1992. Active mining operations ceased around 1999, due in part to discovery and remediation of a historic landslide beneath the tailings impoundment which restricted further expansion of the tailings dam storage capacity. The landslide has been successfully stabilized as confirmed via on-going geotechnical monitoring conducted routinely at the site.

Rehabilitation of the site included removal of processing and mine related infrastructure, partial backfill of the open pit, construction of engineered soil covers and surface water management systems, and revegetation. Post closure monitoring has indicated that the site has been successfully returned to similar condition prior to the renewed mining activity in the 1990s, without indication of potential acid rock drainage.

All surface water is discharged directly to the Waitekauri River without treatment and in compliance with discharge consents and groundwater continues to be managed at site.

The site is grazed and managed under an agreed stocking regime incorporating the adjacent farming operations. The onsite residents ensure site security and public access to adjoining public lands through the site is maintained. In addition nearly 200 hectares of commercial Radiata pine have been planted with consideration of inclusion in the New Zealand carbon credit scheme.