On April 6 Kinross poured the five millionth ounce of gold at its Fort Knox mine near Fairbanks. What makes this milestone so significant is that in 1996, when the mine opened, only 4.1 million ounces of gold were identified as proven and probable. Today’s forecast has grown beyond the five million ounces produced to include more than three million ounces remaining in the ground.

This winter has marked several milestones for the mine. In addition to being Alaska’s top producing gold mine, Fort Knox has achieved significant safety milestones. In December, the more than 500 employees at the mine surpassed four years without a lost time injury, and more than 4,000,000 man-hours in January.

Mine officials hail these milestones as a major achievement, and said the production and safety records reflected the dedication and commitment to safety among workers at Kinross’ Fort Knox mine, the top-producing gold mine in Alaska.

“These records are truly a testament to the skills and commitment of our team at Fort Knox,” said Lauren Roberts, Vice President and General Manager at the mine. “Four years with no lost time incidents is an incredible accomplishment in mining, where we move tons of material every day and utilize sophisticated equipment and machinery.”

Roberts said the 5 million ounce milestone is a modern record in Alaska mining.

“We’ve demonstrated that outstanding performance and safe operations go hand-in-hand,” Roberts said. “Teamwork makes all the difference, and our employees get all the credit for these accomplishments.”

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