Published: October 29, 2025 |

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The Nevada Excellence in Mine Reclamation Awards for 2025 were announced during a presentation ceremony held at the Nevada Mining Association’s Safety Awards Dinner in South Lake Tahoe.

The awards presented this year were:

• AngloGold Ashanti, Sterling Mine in the category of Innovation in Revegetation Research for their Sterling Test Plots in Nye County. The Sterling Test Plots proved their innovative approach to identify proper soil chemistry, sediment size, geologic formation sources, and seed mix designs can result in a successful revegetation in the Mojave Desert. Their robust site characterization program outcome will not only meet current reclamation goals but will be the basis for future reclamation strategy at the site to improve overall reclamation outcomes. This project is setting the standard for all new operations within the Beatty region and will be used for years to come on how to have successful revegetation in an arid environment.

• Kinross Mining Bald Mountain Mine in the category of Excellence in Earthwork. at their Gator Haul Road and Rock Disposal Areas reclamation project in White Pine County. The Gator Haul Road and Rock Disposal Areas mining operations were completed in 2022 and by 2023 reclamation earthwork started. The geomorphic reclamation techniques used on the haul road mimicked the pre mining landscape while the rock disposal areas did not resemble typical mine related shapes, rather blended naturally into the landscape. The committee agreed that once vegetation is completely re-established on the haul roads and rock disposal areas, a member of the public will not know it was a part of a mine site. The effort put forward on this project by Kinross continues to showcase their dedication and excellence in reclamation.

• Nevada Gold Mines Long Canyon Mine in the category of Leadership in Conservation Planning at their Long Canyon Mine in Elko County. The Long Canyon Project is a rare example where permitting, operations, and the start of reclamation have occurred in the past 15 years. The region has significant wildlife and water sensitivities and early and often collaboration with the permitting agencies led to a successful mine operation plan. Any mining operation will impact to the area. However, proper planning and execution of the mine plan including current reclamation, wildlife monitoring, revegetation efforts, drilling water wells for local municipalities, and others will result in minimizing the impacts. It was clear from the overall look of the mine site, maintenance, cleanup, monitoring of wildlife, NGM’s approach to minimize any impacts is a top priority.

The goal of the annual Nevada Excellence in Mine Reclamation Awards is to encourage operators and explorers to complete reclamation projects which raise industry standards, increase public awareness of the positive aspects of mining, and encourage innovation in reclamation techniques.

This is the 34th year of the Nevada Excellence in Mine Reclamation Awards. The awards committee consists of representatives from the Nevada Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Division of Environmental Protection, the Department of Wildlife, Division of Minerals, the Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Forest Service.

To receive an award, the committee must unanimously vote that a submission: exhibit excellent mitigation of the environmental impacts of mineral industry activity, demonstrate work efforts which go above and beyond what is mandated, and represent an exemplary narrative to be shared with others in the industry, as well as with the public.

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