The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced its preference to authorize a subsidiary of SSR Mining Inc. to extend the life of the Marigold gold mine in Nevada by another decade.
The bureau posted an environmental impact statement on the proposed project on Sept. 13, according to a release. SSR Mining subsidiary Marigold Mining Company wants to expand the nearly 5,700-acre mine by about 2,100 acres and increase the life of the operation by up to 10 years.
Marigold produced nearly 55,000 ounces of gold in the second quarter, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The proposal would combine existing open pits into three larger pits, which will serve to extend below the historic water table necessitating dewatering of the groundwater and "include rapid infiltration basins for recharging the excess water down gradient of the pits," the release stated. The proposal includes expanding waste rock storage areas, heap leach pads and other supporting facilities as well.
"Mitigation measures would be applied to minimize environmental impacts and to assure the proposed action does not result in unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands," the bureau stated.
The mine employs 400 workers and 20 contractors, a level that is expected to continue through 2037.
The bureau will issue a final decision on the proposal at least 30 days from when its notice of availability hit the Federal Register.
