ISSUE 08 // SPRING/SUMMER 2014
Air of Excitement Building local benefits at ÉlÊonore
engineering careers 5 mining new talent for tomorrow
colourful legacy 12 employees show stewardship
shaping the landscape 20 groundbreaking reclamation in guatemala
Operational Excellence Welcome to the Summer 2014 edition of Above Ground magazine. In this issue, we feature many of the stories that demonstrate Goldcorp’s commitment to long-term social and economic benefits in all of the communities where we work, as well as strong environmental stewardship everywhere we operate. We held a contest to describe our commitment to the environment and the winning slogan was "Our Planet. Our Choices. Our Legacy.” It expresses our environmental stewardship before, during and after the mining cycle. You can see just one example of this in action with our award-winning reclamation work at the Hollinger Project in Timmins, Ontario on page 18. Our commitment to partnerships, supporting future generations and local communities is demonstrated throughout these pages, including Goldcorp's generous donations to educational programs across Canada, a collaboration agreement with First Nations at Musselwhite, and the use of best practices to build local benefits at Éléonore, Quebec. Read about our Operating for Excellence initiatives for better air quality, zerowaste cafeterias, recycling used diesel fuel for blasting, and the benefits of biodiesel. These environmentally and economically-responsible initiatives exemplify the high level of creativity and innovation of our employees worldwide. Many other stories are also featured on our Above Ground blog, further demonstrating the exceptional people and partners we value as the Goldcorp family. We hope you enjoy reading stories about our passion for our people, our communities, and our planet as much as we enjoy bringing them to light.
Brent Bergeron Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs
SAFETY DEPOSITS
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Living proof that Cerro Negro's record-setting safety practices are no accident.
FORGING FUTURES
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Ongoing educational and economic support show Goldcorp's commitment to positive, sustainable impact.
WORLD OF GOOD
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From zero-waste cafeterias and healthier communities, to cleaner, greener city scapes, Goldcorp gets creative with environmentally-sound projects.
SECOND NATURE
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Groundbreaking technology in Guatemala rehabilitates the landscape and revolutionizes mining practices.
IN YOUR ELEMENT
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SPECIAL FEATURE
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Figuring on a job in banking, Ignacio Sanchez counts himself lucky to have found his true calling at Goldcorp.
Goldcorp deepens its commitment to protect and preserve resources.
Publisher: Above Ground is published by Goldcorp Inc. Vancouver, BC, Canada, and is also printed in Spanish and French. Reproduction in any manner, whole or part, in any language is prohibited. All rights reserved worldwide.
Contact: Goldcorp Inc. Park Place, Suite 3400 – 666 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 2X8 T: 604.696.3000 F: 604.696.3001 E: aboveground@goldcorp.com
Art Direction & Design: Red Rocket Creative Strategies RedRocketCreative.com
Submissions: We’re mining for your stories! If you’ve got an idea, topic or photo that is ideal for Above Ground, we welcome your submissions to be considered for inclusion in future issues. Send by e-mail to aboveground@goldcorp.com
Printer: Hemlock Printers Hemlock.com
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Editor: Virginia Morgan
Cerro Negro Sets New Safety Records Proof that safety performance is no accident Protective barriers bear safety messages inside Eureka.
March 26, 2014 was a day much like any other at the Cerro Negro project in Santa Cruz, Argentina: a day without a lost-time injury (LTI). However, this seemingly typical day was in fact a major milestone: Cerro Negro surpassed the 3.0 million hour mark without an LTI. “It’s a testament to all of our departments, and each and every one of our employees and contractors working together to improve safety,” said Alastair Still, the project’s Director and General Manager. “And especially our Safety Department, who have guided us and provided the tools and training for safe gold production.” Cerro Negro faces particular challenges because it’s an active construction site that is also running
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underground mining operations. More than 2,500 of the workers are contractors, and the workplace is constantly changing as the mine’s facilities are built. “There are approximately three times more contractors than employees,” Still said. “Each and every day, our people perform different and often complex tasks. Our projectwide diligence in understanding and managing the various risks is an important reason that we’ve achieved this milestone.” In June 2013, the team met their previous record of 2.8 million consecutive work hours without an LTI and reduced Lost-Time Accident frequency by 71% over 2012. Medical Aid accident frequency also decreased by 75%, which helped the site earn the
SAFETY DEPOSITS
Leading safety recommendations to employees
“Safety Bear Award” for the most improved safety at a Goldcorp project or operation. “This safety performance milestone comes from a constant effort to improve, and the creation of a culture of only doing things safely,” said Still. “Our managers are all committed to safety and our front line supervisors are successfully leading the process every day. Our workers are fully committed to being accountable for their own safety and the safety of their co-workers. I want to commend all of our people for their attention to detail and for their dedication to only accepting safe production. We say ‘If we can’t do it safely, we won’t do it’...and all of our teams are owners of that.” By the end of June 2014, Cerro Negro was at the 4.8 million hour mark without an LTI. The next million hour triumph is right around the corner and the team continues to establish new records every day.
Éléonore’s Winning Spirit In May 2014, Éléonore’s mine rescue team took home both the first place award at the 52nd Quebec Provincial Mine Rescue Championship and the “Team Mission” award for the best performance in the field. The competition encompassed first aid, operations management, mission, theory and technical aspects. Éléonore’s mine rescue team showed determination, commitment, discipline, and most importantly, passion, accompanied by a spirit of continuous improvement for health and safety. Next year, Éléonore will host the 53rd Quebec Provincial Mine Rescue Championship.
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Growing a Legacy of Safety By: Sam Bates, Mine General Foreman, Red Lake Gold Mines
Kyle Bates helps Dad on another improvement project.
“Can I help, Dad?” asks Kyle as I head outside with my tool box. “Sure can pal, come on out to the garage,” I reply. “OK Dad, I’ll get my safety glasses” says Kyle as he runs off to get his own tool box from his bedroom. This conversation seems unlikely, especially considering that it’s between me and my seven year old son, but it’s actually quite typical around our home. Kyle loves to spend time with me tinkering in the garage, working on a home renovation project or working in the yard and he has come to know that if he is going to help, he’s going to need his safety glasses. It hasn’t always been this way; in fact, I used to be one of the worst offenders for not wearing my own safety glasses. Of course I would wear them whenever the boss was around or if I saw a light coming into my
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heading but, when they took off, so did my glasses. So what made me change my ways? Actually it is the result of training I’ve received through the mine and from seeing countless eye injuries incurred by my co-workers. I’ve seen men who are strong enough to move mountains of muck be brought to their knees by a speck of dust in their eye. So now I always wear my safety glasses. As a supervisor I hold my men to the same standard and as a father I have made it a practice to teach my kids to do the same. But even more so, I feel great knowing that at an early age my son has learned to value his own personal safety and that I have passed on a legacy of safety to the next generation.
FORGING FUTURES
Funding A+ Talent Goldcorp’s ongoing support for educational initiatives kick-starts benefits that will last a lifetime, and beyond. Goldcorp has always been committed to developing its people. Now the company’s support for budding future recruits has taken on new urgency, as a looming industry-wide skills shortage threatens to impact its ability to maintain operations, much less support the degree of growth anticipated in future development plans. According to Engineers Canada, approximately 100,000 engineering positions are expected to be open in Canada by 2020. Some estimates peg the shortage of mining professionals near 50,000 openings industrywide over the same time frame. “Goldcorp has a
Students on-campus at Dalhousie University
history of promoting female leadership, diversity and inclusion, and we are confident that with this partnership, we can make great strides forward.”
Competing demands coupled with shrinking government support challenges academia to keep pace with private-sector - Marc Parlange, realities. So Goldcorp UBC’s Dean of Applied Science is stepping up, with support for expanded programming for mining-related fields. Some of latest developments from these programs in Canada include the following announcements made earlier this year. $500,000 to engineer women’s careers On the eve of International Women’s Day, Goldcorp announced a donation of $500,000 to establish the Goldcorp Professorship in Women in Engineering at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Faculty of Applied Science.
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mining talent Goldcorp announces Professorship in Women in Engineering at UBC to promote female enrollment in Engineering.
Engineering is one of the last remaining professions in which women are underrepresented. The professorship focuses on promoting engineering as a creative and rewarding career to high school students proficient in science, engineering and math, as well as to school counselors and to parent groups. Recruiting begins this summer with the aim of increasing female enrollment from the national average of 20% to 50% over the next five years. $300,000 to help mine new talent A donation of $300,000 from Goldcorp to Nova Scotia's Dalhousie University’s Mineral Resource Engineering Program will create the Goldcorp Professorship in Mineral Engineering to increase teaching capacity, expand program breadth and provide more opportunities for students. Initially the focus will be on designing a curriculum to supplement Dalhousie’s existing emphasis on health, safety and environmental aspects of mining engineering.
FUNDING THE FUTURE (L to R) Brent Bergeron of Goldcorp, Richard Florzione of Dalhousie, Christine Marks and Peter Day of Goldcorp
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Brent Bergeron, Goldcorp’s Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs: “We are working to increase the number of new graduates entering our field and we’re confident that Dalhousie can expand on its current track record of graduating top-notch mining engineers.”
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$1 million for industry innovation Demonstrating our continued support for Quebec communities, Goldcorp granted $1 million over five years to establish the Goldcorp Research and Innovation Chair in Natural Resources and Energy Law at Université Laval, Canada’s oldest education centre. The Chair is supplemented by a $250,000 contribution from the Fasken Martineau law firm to develop unique research capabilities in all aspects of natural resources and energy law, including land management, aboriginal property rights and environmental performance.
FORGING FUTURES
Landmark Partnership Making Real Progress Building local benefits and best practices at Éléonore in Quebec
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Since 2011’s groundbreaking agreement with the Cree Nation of Wemindji to co-develop and operate the Éléonore mine, Goldcorp’s community commitments are coming to life through job creation, business start-ups, environmental protection and operational excellence.
pump it up! Réal Simard at Éléonore's underground pumping station
Goldcorp is instituting industry-leading systems and practices to sustain local benefits and productivity at Éléonore. The site holds gold reserves of three million ounces, and projects gold production of 600,000 ounces annually over 15-20 years. About 950 workers are constructing the main building, water treatment plant, administration facility, garage and warehouse. Additional infrastructure workers bring the total to 1,300 to 1,500. The exploration shaft is complete and the ramp that brings the ore to the surface, as well as the production shaft, will be done by year end. A whole new skilled labour force must also be ready. “There is a huge amount of recruitment and training going on, both on-site and off-site, so that we can get ready for the commissioning and the operation of Éléonore mine,” says Mine General Manager Guy Belleau. “It is an intense process but it gives us lots of joy. We promised we would be pouring gold in the last quarter of this year and I am confident that is what we will be doing.”
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Local sourcing Another promise Goldcorp is keeping is to positively impact the region socially and economically. In addition to employing community members, mine equipment and services are locally sourced when possible. Air Creebec handles most personnel transport, BCC Construction has done much of the building and Tawich Development Corporation, the economic arm of the local Cree Nation, has been a partner since the project began. Tawich has also created a commercial laundry to serve mine operations and local residents. It has become a model for other Indigenous entrepreneurs, says Danny Tomatuk, President of Tawich. “We are setting the bar for anyone who wants to do business in this area. There’s a lot of opportunity for the Cree in the future for new development and we are grateful to have Goldcorp as partners today.” Goldcorp is looking to provide more job opportunities to the Cree nation of Wemindji by sourcing necessities such as health and safety
FORGING FUTURES equipment, drill bit sharpening services and manufacturing of core boxes. Currently there are some 400 Cree workers on the site either working directly for Goldcorp or for contractors. winning innovation Éléonore is a state-of-the-art operation with safety at the forefront and Operating for Excellence (O4E) processes for continuous improvement. To date, over 45 O4E projects pertaining to aviation, underground development, surface transportation, fuel efficiency, air quality and propane efficiency have been completed. All O4E initiatives are driven by Goldcorp’s six pillars – growing people, safety, partnerships, production, reserves and margins – with safety so entrenched in each that the site's safety record has improved by 20% in every year since the project started. Éléonore’s SmartEXEC ventilation-on-demand (VOD) system O4E project recently won recognition at the Global Excellence Awards held in June 2014. While traditional ventilation systems run continuously and therefore consume vast amounts of energy, the VOD system has automated fans that power on only as needed. Wi-Fi technology worn by all underground employees and installed on all underground equipment allows tracking of real-time locations and measures air quality. The VOD system regulates the right amount of ventilation in all the right areas for optimum working conditions. The results are lower energy consumption and overall operating costs, while increasing underground air quality. The first two months after installation saved 644,000 litres of propane worth $632,000 and demonstrably improved air flow. Annual savings are estimated at $1.6 to $2.5 million over conventional ventilation systems. Technology and talent “We are building one of the best gold mines in the country, if not the world,” says Belleau. “It is going to have a strong emphasis on technology and world-class equipment...People want to join Goldcorp for its reputation and the quality of the people they know they will be working with here.”
Top talent from around the globe is applying at Éléonore. Almost 9,000 resumes have been submitted in hopes of working with Goldcorp’s cutting-edge innovation and dedication to responsible mining, says Belleau. “That is part of our strategic plan: to recruit and retain the best people there are in the industry and give them best-in-class equipment to work with and the best-in-class training in its use – but that all starts with a best-in-class camp!”
Aerial view of Éléonore operations
“We are on the last stretch now. I can smell the gold.” - Guy Belleau, Mine General Manager, Éléonore He is referring to Éléonore’s deluxe facilities. The camp is in fact a micro-community with modern living conveniences, including accommodations with ensuite bathrooms, double beds, flat screen TVs, on-demand movies and Wi-Fi. Even the cafeteria is high-tech, with a target of generating zero waste as part of Goldcorp’s environmental and O4E commitment. “We are always trying to do things better and smarter,” says Belleau. “Even though we think we are doing well in a particular area we are always raising the bar and asking our people how we can do it better.”
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Signed and Celebrated at Musselwhite Another First Nation collaboration for shared success Continuing our legacy of mutual prosperity with Indigenous communities, and building on the experience of our landmark collaborations with the Cree Nation of James Bay, Quebec and the Lac Seul First Nation of Red Lake, Ontario, Goldcorp proudly partners with the Mishkeegogamang Ojibway Nation near Musselwhite mine. As in similar Goldcorp collaborations, this pact was created with input and support gathered from local consultations with a broad range of stakeholders. The result clarifies terms for employment and training opportunities, business potential, open communication and financial compensation for local lands used or affected by mining operations.
Partners in prosperity Connie Gray-McKay, Mishkeegogamang Chief and Bill Gascon, Musselwhite Mine General Manager
Denise Ogden, underground truck driver at Musselwhite and member of Mishkeegogamang First Nations
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In all regions of operation, Goldcorp strives to align the interests of the Company with the community to foster economic independence and entrepreneurship, and maximize the ways in which mine operations can create sustainable local benefits, for the life of the mine and beyond.
“We are very pleased that an agreement has been reached and look forward to its implementation” says Connie Gray-McKay, Mishkeegogamang Chief. “It is important that companies, whose activities may impact our community or our traditional lands, work with us to conclude appropriate agreements which require our consent for such activities. We appreciate the commitment and respectful approach [Goldcorp] has taken.” The collaboration not only builds on the mutuallybeneficial alliances to date, it also encompasses potential for future benefits as the mine and the
The latest demonstration “We are very pleased that an agreement has been of this commitment is reached and look forward to its implementation” a unique Cooperation - Connie Gray-McKay, Mishkeegogamang Chief Agreement with the Mishkeegogamang Mishkeegogamang Nation continue to partner in Ojibway Nation in central Ontario. Signed and ongoing viability and profitability. celebrated in January 2014, the partnership formalizes Goldcorp’s long-standing cooperation Bill Gascon, Mine General Manager at Musselwhite with communities surrounding Musselwhite mine, mine said: “Goldcorp has a history of successfully in operation since 1997. Situated near Opapimiskan working in cooperation with local First Nations. We Lake, a portion of the mine’s access road and look forward to the successful implementation of the ancillary facilities, including a power line, crosses agreement with Mishkeegogamang First Nation.” traditional Ojibway territory.
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FORGING FUTURES
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The Ripple Effect of Environmental Stewardship By: Jerry Danni, Vice President, Environment
At Goldcorp, we never stop looking for ways to enhance our performance, especially when it comes to protecting the environment and preserving precious resources.
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SPECIAL FEATURE
L
ast year, while formalizing our new Sustainability Excellence Management System (SEMS), which measures performance across all Goldcorp projects and operations, and provides benchmarks to make environmental management easier to execute and track, we set out to illustrate our SEMS commitment in symbolic style.
2) continual improvement of water conservation methods at our mine sites, most notably Marlin mine in Guatemala, where we have achieved a water recycling rate of approximately 97% 3) our ongoing quest for environmental excellence, demonstrated exceptionally at Peñasquito, Mexico, where we explored and discovered a new source of well water that enables us to improve efficiencies and processes.
We wanted something to boldly express the program and inspire environmental action and innovation. An icon to spark “I also applaud Goldcorp for engendering people’s imagination and drive home real responsibility in their employees the importance of environmental around the world. ” stewardship, similar to the simple, - Dr. Brian Riddell, CEO and President of the memorable way that "Safe Enough Pacific Salmon Foundation for Our Families" conveys Goldcorp’s overarching focus on safety. “Goldcorp is committed to responsible mining A logo was needed, with an accompanying tagline practices and has demonstrated a strong desire that summarized our collective responsibility to not only reduce their own water footprint, while reinforcing individual effort. Rather than but also act as a leader for the whole industry” take the conventional route of contacting a says Joanna Barrington, Manager, Strategic communications agency, we chose to tap the Partnerships, WWF–Canada. enterprise-wide creativity within our ranks. Who better than Goldcorp people to articulate our company-wide vision and aspirations?
bound and determined Employees across operations created scrapbooks showcasing team efforts in caring for our people, our planet and our communities.
Watertight innovation Each of our employees from every operation was invited to take part in a contest called ‘The Ripple Effect,’ which speaks to Goldcorp’s overall commitment to multiply our positive impact, as well as our particularly resourceful water-saving initiatives, a few of which include: 1) our long-standing support for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and participation in their North American Water Footprint Study to gain more knowledge of conservation strategies to improve our practices and processes, and ultimately help us reduce water consumption in every region where we operate
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Goldcorp Water Strategy Water is vital to the earth. In 2013, Goldcorp developed a comprehensive Water Stewardship Strategy to ensure we’re using water as efficiently and responsibly as possible. Last year our operations reused or recycled 71% of the total water we used, or approximately 131 million m3 of water. Water use and water recycling are important metrics, but it means something different at each of our sites. At some sites we have too much water, others deal with water scarcity. To ensure even more attention is focused on this precious resource, every site will appoint a dedicated water steward to fully understand where the water we use comes from, where it goes, and what happens along the way. Site specific metrics and targets will be established to work towards even better stewardship and responsible use of this important resource.
UNITED AND DEDICATED Responsibility translates across languages and regions.
Deep consideration The Ripple Effect contest offered a substantial prize to the individual who could devise the most compelling slogan. Entries came from across the company, with each operational, regional and corporate office selecting a top contender. Those finalists were then presented to a judging panel and put to a company-wide vote. Of key importance was ensuring that the selection process be impartial and transparent, so the judging committee was composed of broad representation from every region, as well as the Chair of our Board's Sustainability, Environment, Health and Safety Committee. An amazing level of employee enthusiasm and participation resulted in a sea of creative submissions that exemplify our values as a company, while also inspiring each of us personally to epitomize environmental stewardship - on the job, at home and in our communities.
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Stewardship Personified
creative and collaborative Page after page, staff demonstrate imagination and positive impact.
Singling out a winner was difficult, but the most votes were garnered for “Our Planet. Our Choices. Our Legacy.” This tagline, submitted by Kaeli Gattens, aptly summarizes Goldcorp’s dedication to leave the planet prospering for future generations through responsible choices and unified actions. It also underpins the shared consciousness that every one of us, at all levels and operations, is a member of the Goldcorp environmental team. The slogan really hits home. It’s particularly important to us because it was developed by employees. It is a reflection of how Goldcorp employees go about their work and daily lives in terms of ensuring they leave a positive legacy.
The Ripple Effect’s winning tagline contributor is Kaeli Gattens, formerly a member of the Corporate Communications department in Vancouver. Clearly, Kaeli has a gift for effective communication, but her diverse skills also earned her a recent promotion to the Change Management team at Goldcorp Integra in Mexico. Kaeli is truly an inspirational example of personal social responsibility. Upon winning the prize for her slogan, she chose to donate the funds rather than pocket the money. Kaeli’s charity of choice is the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF), a non-profit group dedicated to the conservation and preservation of ecosystems that impact wild salmon stocks along the northwestern coastline. “Education is one pillar of the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s granting strategies, because the future of our natural systems will be in the hands of our young people,” said Dr. Brian Riddell, CEO and President of PSF. “It’s wonderful to know that young people like Kaeli care about being stewards of our natural resources. $5,000 is a substantial donation at any age, but coming from a young person starting out, is certainly heartening. I also applaud Goldcorp for engendering real responsibility in their employees around the world.”
Waves of pride Darryl O’Neill, Director, Global Supply Chain, agrees: “As a miner, I want my kids to look back and be proud of what I do. As this planet has more issues, every little bit we do matters.”
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Sustainable Sustenance Located at 52 degrees north in the James Bay region, the Éléonore team is not only developing a modern and technologically-advanced mining operation, they are also building the world’s first remote, high-volume, zero-waste cafeteria.
Cooking up a storm Cafeteria staff at Éléonore
“A sustainable cafeteria embraces responsible practices that allow us to reduce our ecological footprint as much as possible,” explained Martin Duclos, Director of Environment at Éléonore. “Ultimately, what we want to do is create a model cafeteria designed and managed to achieve the zero-waste objective.”
must focus on waste management, purchasing and supply strategies, skills development and innovative practices that work upstream to eliminate waste materials generated in the product or service life cycle, while upholding the 3R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle.
The cafeteria’s ecological footprint is reduced with the installation of a 200-metric-ton-per-day “Ultimately, what we want to do is create a biocomposter which will reduce model cafeteria designed and managed to all biodegradable waste and some achieve the zero waste objective.” cardboard packaging by almost - Martin Duclos, Director of Environment at Éléonore half. The organic material will then be used to regenerate nonproductive or altered sites, such as areas burned Éléonore’s cafeteria will serve over 21,000 meals by forest fires or devoid of vegetation. a week. To achieve the goal of zero waste, they
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WORLD OF GOOD
Christian Proulx, Tawich Development Top right: (Left to right) Jon Henry Mianscum, Redfern Mattawashish and Scott Langdon
“Composting the materials here, on site, rather than expending significant amounts of energy to transport it to a landfill, that’s hands-on sustainable thinking!” declared Martin Duclos. Later this year, the Éléonore kitchen will move to the permanent cafeteria building where everything is designed and set up to allow the kitchen team to embrace a new, innovative form of integrated kitchen management.
Porcupine builds for tomorrow's healthcare today In May, Goldcorp’s Porcupine Gold Mines presented a $500,000 cheque to the Timmins and District Hospital 2013-2016 Capital Campaign. The hospital will be renovating and relocating eight different departments at a cost of $2.6 million and replacing $12.4 million worth of equipment. “We recognize the importance of contributing to the communities in which we operate," stated Marc Lauzier, Mine General Manager, Porcupine. "Goldcorp is a part of Timmins and the whole community benefits from the success of the Timmins and District Hospital Foundation's capital campaign.” Domenic Rizzuto, Manager, Human Resources & Corporate Social Responsibility, Porcupine added, "Many of us were born and raised in the city of Timmins; therefore, supporting our hospital is essentially about supporting our families."
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Unearthing Historical Opportunities at Hollinger Public input Two Land Use Plan options were presented for public input in May 2014. Designs will be finalized soon for City of Timmins approval.
T
oday in the center of downtown Timmins, Ontario, you will find a vast area of environmental imperfection that has become a daily reminder of the damage and hazards left behind by historical gold mining.
Seven years ago, a group of people came together to review options on how to deal with the 250 acres of unusable public space, and ideas were formulated. As a result of working closely with the City of Timmins and surrounding communities since 2012, Goldcorp's Porcupine Gold Mine embarked on reclaiming the Hollinger site, one of the most extensive significant projects ever undertaken by the team. Over the coming years, the area will be transformed into accessible park space, complete with a lake, walking trails and additional recreational features. The project represents Goldcorp’s commitment to community and environmental stewardship and embodies its sustainability motto: Our Planet. Our Choices. Our Legacy.
Following a robust community consultation process and information exchanges, a reclamation plan supported by the residents and City of Timmins was developed. Permitting started in 2007 and continued until final issuance in December 2013. Public consultation on two Subsequent Land Use Plans began in February 2014. A selection for city approval is expected by November 2014. The proposal includes developing the unusable land into an open pit mine, to remove all the existing hazards and recover residual gold to be processed at Goldcorp’s Dome Mine Mill, five kilometres away. Mining operations are expected to last four to five years. To address the mine’s proximity to downtown Timmins, an environmental control berm will be constructed around the operation, ranging from 10 to 25 metres high, and acting as a vibration, noise and dust barrier.
Progressive reclamation will continue throughout the life of Hollinger with the aim of revitalizing a historic gold mine into a sustainable green space for the residents of “Here we have right in the heart of our Timmins to enjoy. Tom Laughren, community an opportunity to make it Mayor of the City of Timmins look like something spectacular...It was comments, “Here we have an important for Goldcorp to leave a legacy.” opportunity to make it look like - Tom Laughren, Mayor of the City of Timmins something spectacular right in the heart of our community. Take the gold potential that is there and repair these Back in 1909, the Hollinger gold deposit was hazards. Create a place for recreation five to discovered and operated as an underground mine ten minutes from anywhere in Timmins. It was from 1910 to 1968. At the time, it was the biggest important for Goldcorp to leave a legacy [and] and richest gold mine in the British Empire. In the will be something the city has long waited for. 1980s, it operated as small open pits until the site Goldcorp listened and has acted.” closed by the property's previous owner/operator in 1989, leaving behind numerous hazards on the property including mine shaft openings, near surface stopes, small pits and ground subsidences.
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WORLD OF GOOD
SUBSEQUENT LAND USE PLANS Option 1 - Heritage Elements 1 Entrance Legacy Plaza
8 Small Rest Points
2 Memory Forest
9 Lookout
3 Parking Lot
10 Woodland Restoration
4 Park Pavilion Including
11 Rock Garden with Shelter
Wash/Change Rooms
12 Mining Sculpture
5 Water Access
13 Mining Experience-Pit Garden
6 Urban Beach
14 BMX Area
with Paved Boardwalk 7 Pedestrian Pier
Initial Trail Network
Future Trail Network
Option 2 - Healing Elements 1 Entrance Legacy Plaza
9 Lookout
2 Memory Forest
10 Woodland Restoration
3 Parking Lot
11 Skateboard/BMX Park
4 Park Pavilion Including
12 Urban Green
Wash/Change Rooms
13 Air Element Sculpture
5 Water Access
14 Earth Element Labyrinth
6 Urban Beach
15 Fire Pit with Shelter
with Paved Boardwalk 7 Pedestrian Pier
Initial Trail Network
Future Trail Network
8 Small Rest Points
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Reclamation Innovation Marlin is rehabilitating the landscape – and revolutionizing practices – by recycling the mine's own filtered tailings
shaping the future (Left to right) Images from the Marlin open pit after mining operations finished, gradual filling of the mine pit, the filled in pit can now be restored to a natural landscape profile.
“This is new technology for Guatemala,” says Peter Hughes-Hallett. “In all of Central America, no one has filled a mine pit the way we're doing it.” As Goldcorp’s Environmental Director for Central and South America, Hughes-Hallett is describing the innovative strategy—developed by the Marlin team—to fill in and seal the Marlin mine’s open pit with filtered, compacted mine tailings. The new technique solves three problems at once: it stores the mine tailings, it prevents environmental risk from exposed rock surfaces, and it restores the landscape to a natural profile. “When the mine eventually closes, you won't see where the open pit was,” says Hughes-Hallett. “The community is especially pleased with that.” One of the environmental challenges of mining, he explains, arises from the fact that rock hidden underground can contain sulphides and other materials.
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”Down there, rock is protected from atmospheric conditions. When it’s removed, and is exposed to weather, the sulphides can oxidize. The possibility of acidic drainage is a concern for any mine anywhere.” This risk can pose difficult and costly environmental problems which is why tailings ponds are used by most mines to contain processed materials. However, extensive geochemical testing determined that the materials at Marlin mine present a very low risk of sulphides, metals or other contaminants. With this knowledge in hand, Goldcorp identified a creative solution. Instead of hauling the material to the conventional tailings storage facility, Marlin applied innovative technology to filter the tailings, remove most of the water, and then use the tailings material as a sealant to protect the exposed rock in the pit. “We hired international experts to do the geotechnical, hydrogeological and geochemical modelling, and
SECOND NATURE
brought in a Guatemalan consultant to include the strategy in the closure plan for the open pit,” says Hughes-Hallett. Once sealed from the atmosphere, the walls of the mine present no risk of leaching. And, any storage issue is solved by backfilling the tailings into the mine itself.
He adds: “This was the first closure plan for any mine in Guatemala—and the first closure plan to be communicated with the local communities, the mayor, the municipality, and national authorities.”
The technology also created an opportunity for Goldcorp to foster the growth of its Guatemalan personnel: “The local people are very sensitive to Osiel Orozco, a 10-year Marlin environmental issues. When we showed employee, has been promoted to them our idea they thought it was Superintendent of open pit works. fantastic. They were really pleased that He is responsible for ensuring that we were rehabilitating the landscape.” the backfilling activities follow the - Peter Hughes-Hallett, Goldcorp’s Environmental design. “This is not just a fill,” he Director for Central and South America says. “It´s an engineered structure. We conduct several tests for the fill and the placement of the tailings, which are “Most open pits, when closed, leave behind a large supervised by independent third-parties and by open space. Here, we’ll be able to restore a natural regulators.” The initiative is now well underway, landscape. We will cover the tailings with topsoil with half the pit filled. Every three months, an and replant local vegetation. This will eliminate any independent lab takes samples, and every six potential hazards for the community members and months reports are sent to the Guatemalan their livestock.” government. Hughes-Hallett says that before implementing Goldcorp is proud to be demonstrating the solution, the Marlin team presented it to local environmental leadership, while earning communities. “The local people are very sensitive community approval with transparency and to environmental issues, when we showed them open communication at every step, everywhere our idea they thought it was fantastic. They it operates. were really pleased that we are rehabilitating the landscape.”
Above ground issue 08
21
Organic Excellence “Bio” is not just a trendy catchphrase. For Energy and Environment teams at Musselwhite Mine, biodiesel means increased cost savings, decreased greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and enhanced environmental stewardship. Mark Deans, Musselwhite’s Environmental
PERFORMANCE Technologist explains: “Currently the mining DRIVEN industry relies heavily on conventional diesel to run Musselwhite diesel generators run on B5 biodiesel supplying electrical energy to power the main ventilation system underground.
remote mine sites and mining equipment. Diesel is usually the second largest operating cost after labour. Biodiesel is a renewable alternative fuel formulated exclusively for diesel engines. It can be made from a variety of feed stock such as canola, soy, algae, etc. and mixed with conventional diesel.”
will lead to decreased maintenance cost. Biodiesel has positive economic domino effects.” Shane Matson, Musselwhite’s Senior Environmental Coordinator adds, “We hope to expand the use of biodiesel to the entire fleet to realize more economic benefit and improve environmental performance. We are in the process of reviewing the operational requirements for the roll out, such as investing in a filtration system for the diesel storage tanks. “
In 2013, Musselwhite initiated a trial application of B5 biodiesel, (5% biofuel and 95% conventional “Biodiesel is the future of cost savings and diesel) in the diesel lowering GHG emissions in the mining industry.” generators that power the - Mark Deans, Musselwhite’s Environmental Technologist main underground mine ventilation system. During the three month trial, Musselwhite consumed Bill Gascon, Musselwhite’s Mine General Manager, 711,200 litres of biofuel for cost savings of over comments, “Mark’s leadership and initiative in $28,000, and GHG reduction of approximately 120 Musselwhite adopting biodiesel came from his tonnes of CO2 emissions. Supervisory Leadership Development Program training and directly relates to Goldcorp’s Energy Strategy. This initiative demonstrates the entire Deans says: “The trial removed the equivalent of team’s commitment to environmental stewardship 23 cars off our roadways. However, biodiesel has and operating in a socially responsible manner. “ other benefits such as increased engine lubricity. This means decreased engine wear, which in turn
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Above ground issue 08
SECOND NATURE
Recycle. Rethink. Real Impact.
C
uriosity and creativity led to moneysaving innovation in the blasting department at El Sauzal mine in Mexico.
It started with a one-week training session led by an explosives expert to teach the mine’s novice blasting team skills, knowledge and techniques.
As the week proceeded, a question arose. The mine was using a blasting agent called ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO). Would it be possible to use petroleum-based derivatives other than diesel to reduce costs and environmental impact? Even a partial shift away from diesel would yield substantial benefits. More than 130,000 litres of diesel were consumed at El Sauzel for blasting in 2012 alone, 90,000 litres of used oil was safely disposed of over the same period. So a plan was hatched to substitute diesel with recycled engine oil. O4E manager Carlos Córdova Núñez says they also collaborated with sister mine Los Filos, which used hydraulic oil in blasting. “The information generated at El Sauzal was shared with Los Filos, and Los Filos shared with El Sauzal. Both teams learned from this,” “The success of this project has given us Núñez said. confidence to look for other opportunities to “We knew we could not undertake this project alone,” said El Sauzal Operating for Excellence (O4E) team member Jose Caracheo Brunel. “We requested help from the maintenance and
save money at the mine. Our attitude is that every idea is worth considering.”
- Jose Caracheo Brunel, El Sauzal Operating for Excellence (O4E) team member
environment departments, and they agreed to support us from the beginning.” Maintenance crews collected used oil from the mine’s CAT 777 haul trucks, and technicians Juan de Dios and Mario Alvarez devised a method to filter out water and impurities. The environmental team took care of permitting and the blasting department tested the idea with the explosives supplier.
IGNITING NEW IDEAS Recycling used oil from the mine's CAT777 haul trucks earned the El Sauzal team an O4E Global Excellence Award in June 2014.
Testing determined that 50% of diesel could be replaced with recycled motor oil and still generate the same explosive force required.
As a result, El Sauzal saved $150,000 in diesel fuel purchases in 2013, sustainable annually. The same process at Peñasquito in Mexico will yield potential savings of about $700,000 per year. “The success of this project has given us confidence to look for other opportunities to save money and find more environmentally conscious solutions at the mine,” Brunel said. “Our attitude is that every idea is worth considering.”
Above ground issue 08
23
The Economics of O4E: a Career in Mining Finance In 1997, when the Mexican government made fiscal changes to mining, a student team was brought in to help handle the work volume at Minas Luismin. As time progressed, the team was reduced to three, then one. Only the budding accountant remained.
LAST STUDENT STANDING Ignacio Sanchez is all smiles working at Peñasquito.
At first, a career in mining was far from Ignacio Sanchez's mind. “I thought I would eventually work in a bank...or at least somewhere where you wear a suit and tie!” he says. “[But] I wanted to know more about mining, so an engineer took me to the San Dimas operation. Until then, I’d had an image of mining that many people have, of dirty guys with picks and shovels. When I saw the technology and the engineering, I was impressed.” Sanchez was hooked and he stayed with the operation, and continued his education through to graduation in 2001. Over time, Minas Luismin became Wheaton River mine and was acquired by Goldcorp. By then Sanchez had explored other industries, but mining pulled him back, and he was promoted again and again. Today, he’s Manager of Finance and Control at Peñasquito mine, managing a team off approximately 20 people. And his enthusiasm for the mining industry is as strong as ever.
making processes have become more multidisciplinary. There are more guidelines in place, and we include more engineers in the value analysis.” And scrutiny is far more in-depth than a simple costbenefit picture. “As finance people, we evaluate value by considering many factors. Our analyses consider our people and their safety, and the local communities—in fact, all the Goldcorp Six Pillars.” While Finance uses an array of analytical software to measure Peñasquito’s performance against other Goldcorp operations, and similar mines elsewhere in the world, “For my team, the number one analytical tool is our brains,” he says with a laugh.
To anyone seeking a financial career, Sanchez recommends mining—and especially Goldcorp. “You get more than a job. It’s like joining a family. We spend a lot of time in remote locations, living together, working side by side, focused on a common objective. It’s the Goldcorp culture: you improve yourself, you get “It’s the Goldcorp culture: you improve yourself, to help others through community projects, you get to help others through community and you improve the projects, and you improve the environment.” environment. This industry - Ignacio Sanchez, Finance and Controlling Manager, Peñasquito is always changing, and we have to keep learning, keep improving. The economics of the business, “The strategic decisions that we make are critical to how we analyse it, how we disclose everything, the operation. Our analyses are behind decisions not just our finances, but our operational and on whether investments in processes or machinery sustainability numbers – it’s a huge challenge. And add value to the company.” Given today's reduced even though there are cycles in mining, this is a margins—and the Operating For Excellence (04E) very exciting time to be in this industry, and in program— the economic side of decision-making this Company.” has an added emphasis, he says. “The decision-
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Above ground issue 08
IN YOUR ELEMENT
Dalia Mares and Jessica Covarrubias pose in front of Stopita, a Komatsu 960 truck painted pink and dedicated to the women of PeĂąasquito in honour of the Creating Choices career development program. In early 2015, Creating Choices will expand and launch Growing Choices to further support the development of women.
OUR WORLD OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY Contact us at aboveground@goldcorp.com For more information on Goldcorp’s responsible mining initiatives around the globe, visit: www.goldcorp.com/responsiblemining Above Ground Blog: www.goldcorp.com/blog