Fort Knox Mine

Fort Knox Mine

Highlights:

• Tailings Storage Facility Design and Construction
• Cone Penetration Tests
• Static and Dynamic (Earthquake) Analyses
• Heap Leach Pad Design
• Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC)

Client: Fairbanks Gold Mining Inc. (FGMI)

Location: Fairbanks, Alaska

Completion Date: ongoing

Project Description: The Fort Knox Mine is located near Fairbanks, Alaska. Knight Piésold has provided all engineering design, construction QC services and operational assistance to the tailings storage facility since the onset of initial planning in 1992. The facility is a valley type impoundment and is contained behind a large, cross valley, zoned earthfill/rockfill embankment dam that has been raised in stages using the downstream method. The dam was completed to its original configuration in 2006 to a height of 324 feet. Since then, FGMI identified additional ore reserves, which required a larger tailings capacity and further raises to the facility.