37 APRIL 2022 WorldWide Drilling Resource® www.starironworks.com 257 Caroline Street Punxsutawney, PA 15767 800-927-0560 • 814-427-2555 Fax: 814-427-5164 SERVINGTHECONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Serving the Drilling Industry Nevada Awards 2021 Excellence in Mine Reclamation Award Compiled by Bonnie Love, Editor, WorldWide Drilling Resource® The Nevada Excellence in Mine Reclamation Award for 2021 has been presented to National Oilwell Varco (NOV) for their Innovative Reclamation and Closure work at the Big Ledge Mine West Waste Rock Facility in Elko County. The Big Ledge Mine was a barite mine in operation from 1978-1983, predating Nevada mine reclamation regulations. In 2009, NOV became the mine operator and by 2019, the company had submitted a Final Permanent Plan for Closure for the mine’s West Waste Rock Facility to the Bureau of Land Management. During the remediation process, the company constructed monitoring wells while also implementing a well and surface water sampling program. Additional remediation efforts included: j Constructing a lined catchment pond to contain and control acid rock drainage. j Installation of a 2.3 million square feet of 80-mil AGRU Super Gripnet® liner, a 16-ounce protective geotextile, and two feet of rock cover. j Building 8900 linear feet of stormwater channels. j Instead of traditional rip-rap, the company elected to use Hydroturf®, which is an impermeable fiber reinforced concrete liner. It combines engineered synthetic turf with a high friction geomembrane locked into place with a specially designed high-strength infill. The goal of the annual State Reclamation Awards is to encourage operators and explorers to submit reclamation projects which raise industry standards, increase public awareness of the positive aspects of mining, and encourage innovation in reclamation techniques. “This year’s award winner is [an] outstanding example of a project attaining these goals,” said Mike Visher, administrator for the Nevada Division of Minerals. “In showcasing this work, we hope to draw attention to the continued efforts by Nevada’s mining industry to lead the Nation in successful reclamation, community partnerships, and environmental protection practices.” This is the 30th year of the Nevada Excellence in Mine Reclamation Awards. The Awards Committee consists of representatives from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, the Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Forest Service, as well as the Nevada Division of Minerals. MIN Photo courtesy of the Nevada Mining Association.
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