Reclamation

St Barbara is proud to be the first company to begin the reclamation process of a gold mine in Nova Scotia. Our Reclamation Plan and activities follow the plan submitted to and approved by the Province.

Protecting our shared environment.

Reclamation at St Barbara

St Barbara is proud to be the first company to move a gold mine into full reclamation in Nova Scotia. Our Reclamation Plans and activities must be approved by the Province.

At St Barbara, we are committed to restoring the land after mining is complete. To do this, we set aside financial security, known as a reclamation bond, to fund the process of returning the land to its natural state. This ensures that mining activities are conducted responsibly and the land is rehabilitated once operations end.

$18 M

spent on reclamation activities in 2024 and 2025

$79.9 M

largest reclamation bond in Nova Scotia.

60,890 tonnes

of contaminated soil remediated.

59,440 tonnes

of historic mine tails remediated.

What is land reclamation in mining?

Mining is a temporary use of the land. Land reclamation is the process of preparing a mine site for the next use, such as parks, recreational areas, commercial or residential development.

The goal of reclamation is to return the physical, chemical, and biological qualities of the land and water regimes disturbed by the project to a state that is safe, stable, and compatible with the surrounding landscape. In Nova Scotia, we have many reclaimed mine sites which are important places for Nova Scotians to live, work and play.

Reclaiming a mine site takes time and careful planning. Before any work starts, we do detailed studies to make sure we’re protecting the environment and preparing the land for safe, long-term use. These studies look at things like water quality, soil health, and how plants and animals might be affected. The information helps us make informed decisions about how to restore the area in a way that fits with the surrounding landscape and benefits the community.

Stellarton coal mine before and after reclamation. Photo Credit: notyourgrandfathersmining.ca

Touquoy Mine reclamation progress

Significant strides have been made in reclaiming the now closed Touquoy Gold Mine in Moose River, Nova Scotia. Approximately $7 million was invested in reclamation activities between June and September 2024. Reclamation efforts include major civil works at the Tailings Management Facility, clearing and landscaping various site areas, and extensive planning and modeling by independent consultants.

As part of our transition from active mining to closure, we submitted a reclamation Industrial Approval (IA) application in February 2024. This includes a detailed list of actions that we committed to completing to restore the site. We’re tracking our progress and sharing it openly - click here to view how we are doing on those commitments.

For more information, check out our latest 2024 Reclamation Work Plan.

Before (Left): Open pit in February 2023 at the end of active mining
After (Right): Open pit in September 2024, filling with water to form a "pit lake"
Before (Left): Touquoy Administration area during operation
After (Right): Touquoy Administration area after removal of buildings and reclamation work
Before (Left): Tailings management facility during operation
After (Right): Tailings management facility after spillway construction
TMP spillway construction before and after
Mill laydown area before and after reclamation
Exploration area after reclamation.

Additional Information

What is a reclamation bond?

Nova Scotia’s mining industry requires operators to register a reclamation bond with the provincial government that is held as security. This bond allows mining operations to take place in good faith and ensure taxpayers are not responsible for funding restoration. St Barbara has the largest reclamation bond in the province and the amount is reevaluated at a minimum every three years.

This financial security ensures that mining operations can take place and the land can be reclaimed once operations have ceased. This allows taxpayers to be protected against expenses associated with the reclamation.

How is the Tailings Management Facility reclaimed?

One important part of reclamation is stabilizing the tailings (the fine material left over after ore is processed). When tailings are first placed in the Tailings Dam, they have properties similar to quicksand, meaning they’re soft and unstable. This makes the area unsafe for people and equipment. Over time, the tailings settle and become firmer through a process called consolidation, which can take up to 5 years. To measure consolidation, we conduct “trafficability trials” each year. These involves safely placing small amounts material on the surface to test how stable it is and how quickly it's improving. The first trial is complete and will help guide future reclamation work.

TMF Facing South (June 9, 2025)
South TMF (June 9, 2025)
TMF Facing North (June 9, 2025)
Polishing Pond and TMF (June 9, 2025)