ridgeway

Health, safety, environmental and community matters are basic parts of the closure activities related to the reclaimed properties being managed by Kennecott Minerals Company.

The Ridgeway Mine site is located approximately 18 miles northeast of Columbia, South Carolina. It is wholly owned and operated by Kennecott Ridgeway Mining Company and is currently in active reclamation and site closure. Gold production began in 1988 and ceased in December 1999. Over 80,000 ounces of gold were produced at Ridgeway during 1999. Ridgeway consisted of two open pit mines (the North and South Pits), processing facilities, and a tailings impoundment. Approximately 60 million tons of ore were mined and processed during the mine's 11 years of operation. Ridgeway's reclamation and closure includes the regrading of all disturbed slopes, establishment of vegetative cover, development of two lakes comprising balanced biological communities and the creation of 90 acres of wetlands connecting the main surface water features. It is anticipated that the two reclaimed mine pits will fill with water by 2007.

During 2000, the Ridgeway Mine submitted to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control a Post-Closure Monitoring Plan, an Operating and Maintenance Plan, an Emergency Preparedness Plan and Bonding requirements to cover issues of long-term site maintenance through final closure.

Presentations were made to local communities and interested parties concerning the potential future uses of the reclaimed mine site, the long-term maintenance program and the potential benefits to be accrued by the local communities. Ridgeway is committed to the successful restoration and sustainable development of the site, ensuring that a model for responsible closure of mining operations is achieved and acceptable to the local communities.

Current monitoring of ground water wells and other resources will continue on a reduced frequency as defined in the Final Reclamation and Post-Closure Monitoring Plan. This plan covers the periods of active reclamation (2000), interim reclamation (2001-2007), and post-closure (2007-2047). Monitoring will continue at the site for a period of 40 years to ensure no potential adverse environmental impacts occur following the final filling of the North and South Pit lakes.

Ridgeway's planning efforts with local communities continue to be focused on the transition from active mining to final reclamation and closure activities. Maintaining the trust and confidence of employees, regulatory agencies and the local communities is the primary objective of the communities plan. The success of the Ridgeway Mine's community relations will be judged by the acceptance of the results by all interested parties of the final reclamation and closure activities that address elements of sustainable development for the years to come.

Conceptual environmental education and fitness center that is under evaluation for the reclaimed Ridgeway Mine.

Ridgeway's communities planning efforts during 2000 primarily focused on the communication of mine site closure and rehabilitation efforts to local groups and collaborative discussions with all interested parties on potential future uses of the reclaimed site.

Requests from local landowners to repurchase former properties, or land of equivalent value, were addressed throughout the year. Wherever possible these requests were accommodated, especially when there were no potential impacts anticipated to the ongoing reclamation and closure plans.

In line with the completion of gold production, the mine established certain financial programs to provide annual benefits to the local communities, such as scholarships to the local school districts.

For 2000, the Ridgeway Mine spent $131,000 on community relations activities. The major accomplishments included:

All mining and production activities were completed in December of 1999. During 2000, activities focused on the milling and placement of the clay cover for the tailings impoundment, resloping of the tailings embankment, demolition and/or salvage of the milling and process facilities, removal of the North Pit waste rock stockpile and the sloping, contouring and revegetation of all previously disturbed surfaces. The borrow areas used for source material for the clay tailings cover were subsequently developed into new wetland areas. All remaining roadways and service areas were cleared of potentially acid-generating rock and deposited at the bottom of the North Pit where it was submerged beneath neutral pH water.

The nominal 3-foot clay cover over the surface of the tailings impoundment was completed in July. Revegetation of the surface commenced immediately through a combination of using a low-ground-pressure seeder, aerial seeding and hydroseeding methods. Water quality of effluent flowing from the surface of the tailings met all permit requirements by March and all treatment of the effluent was discontinued at that time.

The germination success of the various grasses initially planted during the late summer, which is normally the time of year with the greatest precipitation, was hampered by unusual drought conditions, necessitating further reclamation follow-up work.

The perimeter rims along the South and North Pits were sloped to a 3:1 grade to a point ten feet vertically below the planned final water level of the lakes and revegetated. To manage water flows on site, and collect water from all peripheral areas of the site to accelerate lake filling, a series of diversion channels were constructed to direct flow preferentially to the North Pit lake.

Similar to what was done at the South Pit lake, treatment of the North Pit lake water was continued as necessary by the addition of alkalinity using a lime slaker. The spillway from the tailings impoundment was upgraded to handle water flows generated by a probable maximum precipitation event of 44 inches of precipitation in a 24-hour period.

No chemical amendment was necessary in the South Pit lake throughout the year. The water maintained a neutral pH, alkalinity of 70 parts per million and the dissolved metals were within permit levels or nondetectable. A program of pit lake monitoring and biological research was initiated utilizing outside consultants focusing on the biological recovery of the pit lakes and the sequestering of metals by algae and plant proteins. This water quality monitoring and research program will continue through 2002.

Demolition of the Ridgeway site process facilities commenced in August and continued through the end of the year. The component parts of the facility were sold to an outside contractor and will remain in storage on site, pending resale, through 2001.

The majority of Ridgeway employees were released in November, and at year-end 10 employees remained on site to manage the ongoing closure. Work on reclamation continued through year-end with a crew of approximately 30 contractors.

Typical surface water diversion ditch constructed at Ridgeway to manage large runoff events to direct flows to the North and South Pit lakes.

Ridgeway effectively prepared for and publicly reported under the EPA's Toxic Chemical Release Inventory program its activities for the 1999 year. TRI data reported for the Ridgeway Mine for activities covering 1998 and 1999 are available on KMC's web site: www.kennecottminerals.com.

During 2000, Ridgeway employees and contractors worked over a total of 260,000 hours. Employees incurred one lost time accident and one medical treatment injury. This compares to 348,900 hours worked with no lost day, one restricted workday and one medical treatment injury during 1999. The total injury incidence rate for 2000 was 1.53 compared to 1.15 in 1999, resulting in a 33% increase due to fewer hours worked during 2000. Ridgeway fell short of achieving its safety goal of zero injuries and a target of having no more than one reportable injury during 2000. Ridgeway contractors incurred no lost time or reportable accidents during the year.

2001 Safety Goal:
- Zero Lost Day, Restricted Work Duty, Medical Treatment or First Aid Injuries.

As part of Ridgeway's medical surveillance program, all released employees were given comprehensive voluntary exit physicals.

Approximately 500 acres of land were contoured and reseeded during the year, including the clay cover of the tailings area. Ridgeway anticipates reclaiming approximately 250 acres of land during the year 2001.

During 2000, all activities at Ridgeway were in compliance with current permit obligations. There were no reportable spills to the environment or off-site discharges of water from the mine site.
There were no bird mortalities reported to the regulatory agencies during 2000, as compared to one in 1999.

There was a total of five external health, safety and environmental audits/inspections conducted during 2000.

What We Said We Would Do:

Continue to build active partnerships with the surrounding communities. Bring the mine site to a successful closure with full support of employees, regulatory agencies and the surrounding communities.
Modify the Bureau of Air Quality Control's Title V air permit to reflect changes in activities from operations to reclamation and closure.
Monitor North and South Pit lakes to provide baseline data to ensure establishment of balanced biological communities.
Complete surface water management structures.
Conduct site reclamation to include recontouring of pit rims and the development of 90 acres of wetlands.
Reclaim all exploration sites, mine dewatering and decommissioned monitoring wells according to state requirements.
Maintain the public game management area.
Continue supporting Teacher of the Year Program and environmental education and wildlife conservation concepts for closure.

What We Did Do:

Conducted regular meetings, presentations and tours of the site for neighbors, local citizens and interested parties. Produced and distributed a 24-minute video "A Role Model For The Industry" documenting the story of the mine, from permit application to public hearings, operation, closure and land reclamation. The Closure Plan for the Ridgeway Mine site has gained full support of all interested parties.
The Title V air quality permit was terminated and Ridgeway offered the Bureau of Air Quality Control a future location at the reclaimed tailings impoundment to install a permanent meteorological and air quality monitoring station due to its unique elevation and siting characteristics.
Contracted with outside scientists to conduct monitoring of the pit lakes to include biological and chemical testing to document establishment of balanced ecological communities.
Upgraded the tailings impoundment spillway to accommo-date a Probable Maximum Precipitation event and constructed water diversion and management structures for large volume flow events.
Recontoured the North and South Pit rims and constructed the majority of water management structures to create 90 acres of wetlands between the North and South Pit lakes.
In accordance with state requirements, Ridgeway decommissioned the mine dewatering wells and a few ground water monitoring wells that were relocated due to reclamation activities.
Extended the Wildlife Management Area agreements to enhance wildlife habitat and allow public use of buffer lands, including the dove field.
Continued support of local education through a number of donations and in-kind services.

A principal element of Ridgeway's HSE Policy is to ensure the operation remains in compliance with existing regulations. This was verified through audits, reviews and inspections, as listed:

Mine Safety and Health Administration: Three mine site inspections and one Injury Records Audit.

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control: One air quality inspection.

Ridgeway routinely convenes a panel of experts to review its reclamation and closure activities. The result of the most recent review indicated the project was on track with its closure activities compared to the original planning. However, additional tasks were identified to improve documentation and drive future work schedules.

Ridgeway is in the process of updating its Emergency Response Plan to address closure activities and associated long-term reclamation maintenance and monitoring activities.

Ridgeway received the following recognition during 2000 for its safety performance in 1999:

It is the objective of Ridgeway to bring the mine site to a successful closure and develop a strategy for the sustained use of the site with the full support of regulatory agencies and the surrounding communities. Successful accomplishment of this objective will demonstrate Kennecott's commitment to sound environmental stewardship and sustainable development.

Water monitoring of both the North and South Pit lakes will continue as will the biological research necessary to monitor the establishment of healthy ecosystems that ultimately will support balanced biological communities. Limnological modeling of both lakes will be conducted throughout the year.
Wetland development and diversion channel construction will be completed during the first quarter of 2001 with revegetation activities continuing through the remainder of the year.

Ridgeway will continue to partner with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to maintain a 28-acre public dove field, providing a recreation resource open for community use.

Public tours and site visits will be conducted to keep interested parties informed and to communicate reclamation and closure progress.

During 2001, Ridgeway will notify the Mine Safety and Health Administration that it no longer qualifies as a surface mineral mine under MSHA's jurisdiction due to the limited activities associated with closure. Ridgeway's future safety program will address those activities associated with the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the re-claimed site, including contractor safety management.

Mr. Roy Duckett
Manager Projects
Tel: 803-337-3276 Ext. 210
Fax: 803-337-3695
email: duckettr@kennecott.com

www.dgoat.com	Target	Actual
Lost Day Injuries	0	1

Restricted Work Day Injuries	0	0

Medical Treatment Injuries	1	1

Total Injuries	1	2

First Aid Cases	--	8