Work Advances On Newmont TS Power Plant

NEVADA - The employees and contractors working to build the TS Power Plant located near Newmont’s TS Ranch in Eureka County, Nevada, recently reached some significant safety milestones. The team building the coal-fired power plant to power Newmont Nevada operations worked 2.5 million work hours for the first 21 months without a single lost time accident.

Officials with Nevada’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognized plant employees with its "Safe Partner Award" for creating a safe, healthy work environment. One OSHA compliance official said the TS Power Plant was "the cleanest all-around project site I have ever seen in over 30 years in this industry."

Newmont contractors also successfully tested the boiler and all associated pressure parts at the TS Power Plant to ensure they functioned properly under intense pressure and stress. As a direct result of the high-quality installation and welding, as well as strict quality controls, there was not a single weld failure during the evaluation.

The TS Power Plant, slated to be operational by mid-2008, will provide our Nevada operations with long-term, reliable electrical power, free up energy for use elsewhere within the rapidly growing state of Nevada, and significantly decrease our power costs. It is slated to have one of the lowest emission rates of any coal-fired plant in North America. It will use the latest emission-control technology for processing exhaust and will burn low-sulfur content coal from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin.

In November, contractors will fire up the boiler using diesel fuel during the commissioning stages of the plant. At that time, construction will be nearly 98% complete. Workers will power the plant using coal in January, with the final performance test slated for June 2008.

Other current activity at the power plant includes commissioning the coal handling system, water treatment plant, cooling tower, air compressors, and circulating and potable water systems. Builders are also installing siding and roofing, electrical, piping, and insulating the air quality control system, boiler and pipes.

Relics Offer Look at Mining’s Past

Newmont Nevada’s Exploration Office features a display case which houses an assortment of intriguing, historic artifacts - some dating back to 1909. The Exploration crew salvaged the case from the old Mule Canyon mine site and, after a little repair work, mounted it where it is now. Inside the case are various mineral specimens, including barite, pyrite, copper, and even free gold. The display also features some very old mining documents such as claim papers, mine reports, and photos of old mining camps. These documents, found in the large data banks in the Exploration office, show just how much mining has changed over the years.

Some of the other objects in the case were provided by Newmont employees. Jeff Nicholes donated a Brunton compass, an object special to him. A Brunton is a geological tool that allows the user to navigate the movement of landforms. It can measure the direction of movement, or "strike," as well as the inclination, or "dip," of a landform. Jeff received the compass from his grandfather, who was a surveyor for State Highway (now known as NDOT). The compass was used in the mapping and construction of an old dirt road, known today as Interstate 80. Dean Heitt, Senior Geologist for UG Projects, donated a sample of orpiment - an often valuable formation of arsenic sulfide - that came from Twin Creeks.

Other contributors to the display include Cathy Cox, Joan Dunn and Joe Sager. All artifacts donated for the display case are personal belongings that were not collected on public land, in compliance with the Antiquities Act.

Special Day for Special Friends

Newmont held its annual Special Friends Fishing Derby

on August 4th at the James Creek Diversion Pond,

adjacent to Gold Quarry. Seven young anglers, joined by

family members, attended this year’s event to enjoy a day

of fishing, food and fun. Also attending were

approximately 20 volunteers, including many Newmont

employees, who helped set up, bait hooks, cast lines, and

clean fish. After fishing, the children enjoyed a barbeque

lunch and received special awards and trophies.

 

New "Work Horses" Arrive for Duty at Phoenix

Newmont’s Phoenix Mine is upgrading its haulage fleet, having recently assembled four new CAT 793D haul trucks and placing them "in the dirt." Eventually, 16 of these larger capacity trucks, which can haul approximately 260 tons of material, will comprise the site’s primary fleet. Priced at approximately $3.2 million, each of the trucks is equipped with an MA2 Retarding Package, an improved braking system that will provide more productivity and lower unit operating cost by improving cycle times in the primarily downhill hauling conditions at Phoenix. Additional benefit will come from the improved onboard VIMS (Vehicle Information Monitoring System) that comes with the new fleet. The sophisticated system helps support vehicle maintenance. This new fleet will operate at a high physical availability and high usage, helping to drive Phoenix’s operating costs down. Phoenix drivers and mechanics are all excited about the substantial improvement to their haulage fleet and the opportunity to be even more productive.

 

Newmont Nevada Breaks Ground for New Distribution Center

A groundbreaking ceremony for a new 162,000-square-foot distribution center in Elko took place on August 1, and the facility is planned to be fully operational by the end of the first quarter in 2008. As part of a 10-year agreement, Cat Logistics will provide warehousing and inventory management services, records accuracy, and transportation management services to Newmont Nevada. Essentially, the facility will serve as a master distribution center supporting all of Newmont Nevada’s mining and processing operations. The facility will also incorporate the parts operations of Cashman, the local Caterpillar dealer. 

 

"Newmont recognizes the increasing importance of improved material availability for the productivity of our workforce," said Brant Hinze, Vice President of North American Operations, Newmont Mining Corporation. This distribution center will lead to better equipment availability, increased employee productivity and lower inventory carrying costs. This will streamline our supply chain process, thus positioning Newmont at the forefront of the industry."

Nevada’s Twin Creeks and Lone Tree Mines Receive Cyanide Code Certification

NEVADA, USA—Following the Ahafo mine in Ghana, Newmont Nevada’s Twin Creeks and Lone Tree mines became to most recent operations to be certified as being compliant with the International Cyanide Management Code (Code).

The Code provides an independent method of certification for the responsible management of cyanide, from its manufacture and transportation to use in the mining process, including mine closure. Newmont became an initial signatory of the Code in 2005 and is working to have all its mines certified by 2008.

"The continuing certification of our mines is reflective of Newmont's commitment to manage all chemicals that we use at our operations, including cyanide, in a safe and environmentally responsible manner," said Dave Baker, Vice President, Environmental Affairs and Sustainable Development. "This responsibility includes providing a safe work environment for our employees and contractors, and protecting both the environment and surrounding communities."

Developed under the guidance of the United Nations Environment Program, the Code is a voluntary industry program for companies involved in the production of gold using cyanide. It is intended to complement an operation's existing obligation to comply with the applicable laws and regulations of the political jurisdictions in which it is located. Participating mines must be re-audited every three years to maintain compliance.