CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Environmental Stewardship
Silver Standard adheres to an environmental policy which recognizes that the protection of the natural environment during the course of our exploration, mining, processing and closure activities is an integral part of our business and a key corporate value. Our current environmental management practices comply with the international regulatory requirements which govern our business. However, we are committed to raising our own standards, and continuously improving our environmental sustainability strategies.
Reclaiming the environment from past activities, protecting it for the future
Silver Standard has had to address existing environmental damage from the historic mining activities of prior operators and operations. We believe our distinction in this particular area of environmental responsibility demonstrates our technical capabilities, and underscores our corporate value of accountability.
Mina Pirquitas, Jujuy Province, Argentina
There is a long legacy of mining in and around our Mina Pirquitas project in Jujuy, Argentina — it is the largest historical producer of tin and silver in Argentina. Unfortunately, the extraction practices of earlier periods often had adverse effects on the surrounding environment. Dredge mining for tin from the Río Pircas gravels to the east of Campamento Central (the old town of Pirquitas) took place from 1933 to 1949, and resulted in extensive piles of dredge spoils in the lower Río Pircas drainage.
The acid drainage affecting seasonal rivers downstream from the historic mine dumps can be seen in this satellite photo.
Underground mining began in 1936 from the San Miguel shaft at Mina Pirquitas and continued through 1989. The underground workings were shut down in 1990 and subsequently flooded.
Silver Standard has removed abandoned buildings and equipment, and is cleaning up the historic tailings from the river bed. We have partnered with members of the local communities in the ongoing assessment of the environmental impact of current operations at Pirquitas as part of our overall environmental management system. Silver Standard brings environmental stewardship and a long-term outlook, two hallmarks of modern-era mining, to this region.
Duthie Mine tailings site before reclamation
Duthie Mine tailings containment - September 2008
Duthie Mine, British Columbia, Canada
In 2003, we received a citation from a joint committee of the Mining Association of British Columbia and the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines for outstanding reclamation achievement. This recognition acknowledged our work at the Duthie Mine in northern B.C., a property we acquired in the 1970's. In the 1920's and 1950's, this historic small underground mine had been intermittently producing acid-generating tailings which were largely unconfined and covered a large area, including downstream from the original impoundment. Silver Standard reclaimed the area from the environmental damage by the historic operations, by cleaning up the tailings and safely containing them.excavating the tailings and. Vegetation has been successfully re-established.