Responsible stewardship beyond active operations.

Even before one of our mines opens for commercial production, plans are in place for the future reclamation of the land and for the future prosperity of the community after the mine has closed.

Goldcorp policy is to always consider our Corporate Social Responsibility Plan and our sustainable development objectives. We strive to aid local communities in bridging the transition from mine operations to post-mining, and to plan for the socio-economic challenges that may result from the termination of mine operations.

Case Study: Eco-tourism & agricultural opportunities in Honduras

San Martin, Honduras, just over an hour from the capital city of Tegucigalpa, is the location of our former San Martin mine. What used to be a mining camp is now the San Martin Ecology Centre, with a 31-room, eco-tourism themed hotel, a restaurant, swimming pool, sports courts, playing fields and other amenities. The hotel is surrounded by forest, interpretive trails, bird-watching gazebos and wildlife habitat for deer, puma, roadrunners, lizards, iguanas and more.

In 2008, Goldcorp donated 1,500 hectares of land to the San Martin Foundation (SMF), a not-for-profit organization created, with Goldcorp’s support, to provide citizens with lasting economic benefits and self-sufficiency.

From the hotel, visitors embark on eco-adventures to the San Ignacio hot springs and steaming waterfall and to the picturesque town of Cedros (the birthplace of Honduran democracy) and take mine-site tours to explore the now-dormant quarries.

Elsewhere on the reclaimed mine site, agri-businesses thrive. Goldcorp supports the hiring and training of local people in chicken and hog farming and in growing lemons, oranges and mangos, as well as indigenous plants that are a source of biofuel.

Several independent farmers are also cultivating biofuel seed crops to widen the circle of sustainability for generations to come.

Case Study: Award-winning reclamation of the Coniaurum property

The Porcupine mine is located in the famed gold-rich zone of Timmins, Ontario, and when the Porcupine operation took over its property in 2002, the lands included the site of the historic Coniaurum gold mine. The Coniaurum mine operated from 1913 until 1961 when a major storm caused a breach in the tailings dams, resulting in a discharge and the shutdown of the operation.

In recognition of our reclamation work on the lands affected by the Coniaurum mine, we were recently awarded the Tom Peters Memorial Mine Reclamation Award, an award sponsored by the Ontario Mining Association and Canadian Land Reclamation Association and the Ministry of Northern Development Mines and Forestry with the financial support of Vale SA.

Restoration work has stabilized the site, stopped suspended solids from the tailings area entering the Porcupine River and promoted other uses of the property. The use of biosolids as a cover and wild grasses promoted a self-sustaining environment, which encouraged the growth of other natural grass, shrub and tree species. This in turn has attracted wildlife, including several black bears. Honey bees were introduced to promote additional pollination and plant development, which has increased the number of bee colonies and spawned a local honey industry.

Since 2008, we have been running educational tours on the reclaimed site and working with the local Aboriginal community on the application of traditional knowledge and practices to modern rehabilitation techniques.