Comprising the Rochester and Packard pits, the silver and gold mine complex is located nearly 42km northeast of Lovelock in Pershing County
BLM approves expansion of Coeur Rochester and Packard Mine. (Credit: Khusen Rustamov from Pixabay)
Coeur Rochester has secured approval from the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the proposed expansion of its Coeur Rochester and Packard Mine in Nevada.
The approval came in the form of the Record of Decision signed by BLM’s Winnemucca District Office following the compilation of a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts arising from the proposed expansion.
Comprising the Coeur Rochester and Packard pits, the silver and gold mine complex is located nearly 42km northeast of Lovelock in Pershing County.
BLM Nevada State Director Jon Raby said: “Sustainable mining on public lands is a vital source of revenue and employment for counties across Nevada. We’re pleased to be able to do our part to ensure that the Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines will continue to operate through 2033.”
The Rochester and Packard Mine expansion will help prolong the mine life to 2033
Coeur Rochester, which has been operating the Rochester and Packard Mine since 1986, is taking up the expansion project to extend the mine life till 2033. The extension is expected to continue the employment of the 302 existing employees.
According to BLM, an average of 58 temporary roles will be added during the two years of construction as part of the mine expansion.
Coeur Rochester will extend the Rochester pit below groundwater and the Packard pit above groundwater. The company will construct the Limerick Canyon Stage VI and Packard Flat heap leach facilities apart from upgrading utilities and other infrastructure.
The project will also involve the addition of a new crushing system and expansion of the rock disposal sites for additional storage capacity.
As per BLM, Coeur Rochester is currently permitted to disturb up to 2,203.1 acres in the in the Rochester and Packard pits.