WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has recognized three companies for advancing the use of sustainable development in their work on public lands.
The winner of the BLM Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award winner is Tronox Alkali Corporation’s Sage Grouse Initiative Project.
Sweetwater County, Wyoming, is home to the Green River deposit, the richest known trona deposit in the world. Tronox’s Green River operation prides itself on its environmental stewardship. However, the Green River region faces a number of environmental challenges, perhaps the most significant of which is minimizing impacts to Greater Sage-grouse habitat.
Tronox has responded by developing a detailed conservation management strategy for Sage-grouse and other species, and working collaboratively with other area operators to reduce surface activities.
The Tronox strategy incorporates a number of conservation measures. Surface disturbance is restricted within 0.6 miles of Sage-grouse leks between March 15 and June 30, and prohibited in brood rearing areas during the same period. Male Sage-grouse population at all leks near Tronox facilities is monitored. Surface disturbance areas are reclaimed as soon as practicable.
The results thus far have been encouraging.
An inventory of leks in 2015 showed more than in previous years. And a number of habitat improvement projects have been undertaken, including the restoration of 28 sites, the conversion of wire to wildlife-friendly fencing, and the completion of Sage-grouse winter use surveys for three consecutive years.
Michael Nedd, the BLM Assistant Director for Energy, Minerals and Realty Management, announced the winners of the 2015 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards.
The BLM presented three awards in two categories:
- The winner of the BLM Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award winner is Tronox Alkali Corporation’s Sage Grouse Initiative Project.
- The first winner of the FAST! Award winner is Barrick’s Golden Sunlight Mine and Arrowhead Reclamation – West District Mine Closures.
- The second FAST! Award winner is the Newmont Bailey Day Abandoned Mine Hard Closure Project.
“The award recipients are outstanding examples of leadership and environmental responsibility in the hardrock mining industry,” Assistant Director Nedd said. “These mineral resources are critical to America’s infrastructure and vital to the economic well being of many communities.”
“These awards are all about development that meets the non-fuel mineral needs of the present generation, without compromising the needs of future generations,” Assistant Director Nedd said.
“All of this year’s winners illustrate the BLM’s concept of sustainable development.” – Assistant Director Nedd
The Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award highlights the component of sustainable development that relates to environmental stewardship. The award acknowledges operators with exceptional track records of meeting or exceeding Federal, State, or local reclamation requirements.
The “Fix A Shaft Today!” (FAST!) Award recognizes active participation in the FAST! Campaign, which is a partnership initiative aimed at eradicating unsafe abandoned mine land features, especially open mine shafts.
Sustainable development is a concept adopted by the United States and 192 other countries, to balance environmental, economic, and social concerns in planning for mining operations.
Nominations for the BLM hardrock mining awards were first screened by BLM State Office officials, who forwarded the applications to BLM Headquarters for final judging by a panel that included experts in mining activities from outside the BLM. Learn more about the awards and the recipients at this link.
