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Barrick Gold official expresses optimism

A high-level Barrick Gold official is optimistic about the planned TSF 1 Tailings Reprocessing project at the Golden Sunlight Mine near Whitehall.

Patrick Malone, Vice President of Closure and Governance for Barrick North America, told Community Transition Advisory Committee members last week the company is very excited about the project. He added the TSF 1 project would keep the site open for another ten years with the potential for much longer with the proposed TSF 2 project.

"I'm extremely confident this is going to happen, and we have a bright future ahead of us for the next ten years," Malone said.

Barrick CEO Mark Bristow also recently visited the mine, and Malone said to have him on site is pretty significant and says a lot about the company.

Malone said he manages 32 closure sites in North America and Golden Sunlight is both an exciting story and a unique opportunity for the company that would allow them to continue to take care of the environment, generate income, and still employ people.

In his report to the committee, Mine General Manager Chuck Buus said the permit application for the TSF1 Project is complete minus a few minor tweaks. He added during a recent state visit, they took officials through "boots to the ground' walkthrough of the tailings reprocessing process and they were pretty receptive to the mine's ideas.

Buus said they expect to have to complete an EAS for the project which would require a public scope that would take place at the high school sometime between August and October.

As far as transportation for the reprocessed tailings, Malone said their preference is to do it by rail to Nevada but there are logistical issues, adding the easiest way would be by truck.

 

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