
The Homestake Mining Company had a long and storied history, spanning over 125 years. It was founded in 1878 in Lead, South Dakota.
The company's early success was due in large part to the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, which brought a surge of miners and settlers to the area. This led to the establishment of the Homestake Mine, which would become one of the largest and most productive gold mines in the United States.
The Homestake Mine was a massive operation, employing thousands of workers and producing over 40 million ounces of gold during its lifespan. It was also a major contributor to the local economy, providing jobs and stimulating growth in the region.
The company's operations continued until 2002, when it was acquired by Barrick Gold.
Company Structure
Homestake Mining Company has a diverse portfolio of subsidiaries, including Homestake Mining Company of California, Homestake Canada Inc., and Homestake Gold of Australia Limited.

The company's global presence is a key factor in its success, with operations in several countries including Canada, Australia, and Chile. Homestake Mining Company's subsidiaries are well-established and have a long history of producing gold.
The company's structure is complex, with multiple subsidiaries operating under its umbrella, including Prime Resources Group, Inc. and Homestake Sulphur Company.
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Corporate Names
Corporate Names are an essential part of a company's structure, and they can be a bit tricky to understand.
In the context of archives, corporate names are used to identify and distinguish between different companies, organizations, or entities. This is evident in the "About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West" section, which highlights the importance of accurate corporate name usage in archival records.
A corporate name typically includes the name of the company, its location, and sometimes its type or classification. For instance, "Creative Commons" is a well-known example of a corporate name that is used to identify a specific organization.
In some cases, corporate names may change over time due to mergers, acquisitions, or other business transactions. This can lead to complexities in identifying and referencing the correct corporate name in archives and other records.
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Principal Subsidiaries
Homestake Mining Company has a significant presence globally, with subsidiaries in various countries.
Homestake Mining Company of California is a key subsidiary, operating in the United States. Homestake Canada Inc. is another important subsidiary, based in Canada. Homestake Gold of Australia Limited is a subsidiary operating in Australia.
Homestake Nevada Corporation is a US-based subsidiary, while Minera Homestake Chile, S.A. is a subsidiary operating in Chile. Homestake Sulphur Company is a subsidiary with a focus on sulphur production. Prime Resources Group, Inc. is also a subsidiary of Homestake Mining Company.
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Principal Operating Units
The company operates a diverse range of mines across the globe.
Eskay Creek Mine in Canada is one of the company's key operating units.
The company has a 50% stake in the Williams and David Bell Mines in Canada.
Ruby Hill Mine is also part of the company's operations.
The company owns the Round Mountain Mine with a 50% stake.
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Homestake Mine and McLaughlin Mine are also included in the company's operations.
Marigold Mine has a 33.3% stake held by the company.
Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) Pty. Ltd. in Australia is a 50% owned subsidiary.
Plutonic Gold Mine in Australia is also operated by the company.
Darlot Gold Mine and Lawlers Gold Mine in Australia are part of the company's operations.
The company has a 51% stake in Jeronimo in Chile.
Agua de la Falda Mine in Chile is also a 51% owned subsidiary.
Veladero in Argentina is a 60% owned operation.
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Operations and Exploration
The Homestake Mining Company has a diverse portfolio of mines across the globe.
They operate the Eskay Creek Mine in Canada, which is one of their key assets.
Their presence in Australia is notable, with a 50% stake in the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) Pty. Ltd. and operations at the Plutonic Gold Mine, Darlot Gold Mine, and Lawlers Gold Mine.
Site Evaluations
Site Evaluations play a crucial role in understanding the extent of contamination at the eight uranium mines operated by Homestake Mining Company. The EPA and Homestake Mining Company reached an agreement in September 2021 for the company to conduct Removal Site Evaluations (RSEs) at these mines.
The RSEs identify the nature and extent of contamination from legacy uranium mining at the mines. This process will assist the EPA in determining if an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) for a non-time critical removal action is needed to address risk to human health and the environment.
The eight mines in question are located in McKinley County, New Mexico. Here are the specific locations:
- Dysart No. 1 (Section 11, Township 14 North, Range 10 West)
- Dysart No. 2 (Section 11, Township 14 North Range 10 West)
- Dysart No. 3 (aka Mary No. 1) (Section 11, Township 14 North, Range 10 West)
- Section 13 (Section 13, Township 13 North, Range 9 West)
- Section 15 (Section 15, Township 14 North, Range 9 West)
- Section 23 (Section 23, Township 14 North, Range 10 West)
- Section 25 (Section 25, Township 14 North, Range 10 West)
- Section 32 (Section 32, Township 14 North, Range 9 West)
Searching for Resources in the 1950s–1960s
In the 1950s and 1960s, Homestake Mining faced a significant shift in its primary source of income. The company's diversification program, initiated in 1953, led to the purchase of uranium properties in Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
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By the mid-1960s, uranium mining contributed more than half of Homestake's $4.9 million in net income, surpassing gold production as the company's greatest money earner. The Homestake mine, however, remained the largest gold-producing property in the Western Hemisphere.
The Homestake mine's profitability plummeted due to rising production costs and an industrywide downturn, with operating income falling from $12.1 million in 1941 to $2 million in 1963. Dividends also decreased during this period, from $4.50 a share to $1.60 a share.
The amount of gold produced in 1963 was the lowest peacetime level since 1884, convincing Homestake Mining's management to focus on diversification away from gold production.
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Perspectives and Timeline
The Homestake Mining Company has a rich history that spans over a century. Founded in 1878, the company's early success was largely due to the discovery of gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
One of the most significant events in the company's timeline was the discovery of gold in 1874 by a group of prospectors. This led to a gold rush in the area and ultimately paved the way for the Homestake Mining Company's growth.
The company's operations expanded rapidly, with the construction of a 8-mile long tunnel to access the gold deposits. This tunnel, which was completed in 1879, was a major engineering feat that allowed the company to extract gold from the deposits more efficiently.
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Company Perspectives
Homestake has maintained a major role in the gold mining industry for over 120 years.
The company has produced 17 million gold and equivalent ounces since 1990. By the early 1970s, uranium, lead, zinc, and silver production accounted for 75 percent of the company's profits.
Homestake operates both underground and open pit mines and uses a variety of mineral processing methods to extract gold. The Company has received numerous industry awards for its superior record in the environmental, health and safety areas.
At the end of 1999, Homestake's share of proven and probable reserves amounted to 18.8 million ounces of gold and 110 million ounces of silver. In 1991, Homestake Mining recorded its first full-year loss in nearly 50 years, losing $262 million.
The largest acquisition in Homestake Mining's history was made in 1992 when it purchased International Corona Corporation. The write-down charges stemming from the acquisition totaled $176 million.
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Key Dates
In December 1996, Homestake announced its intention to acquire the Santa Fe Gold Corporation for $2.3 billion.

This ambitious move would have given Homestake the largest gold reserves in North America, but it quickly turned into a bidding war with Newmont Mining Corporation. Newmont ultimately won out, signing a merger agreement with Santa Fe in March 1997 for $2.5 billion.
By April 1998, Homestake had acquired the Plutonic, Lawlers, and Darlot mines in Western Australia, more than tripling its Australian gold production from 300,000 ounces to over 900,000 ounces between 1993 and 1998.
In April 1999, Homestake acquired the Argentina Gold Corp., further expanding its operations.
Projects and Reclamation
The Homestake Mining Company's Grants Reclamation Project is a notable example of their efforts to restore the environment after mining activities. The company worked with regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
The project was documented in a series of regulatory filings, which included the agency or agencies that issued and signed the documents. In this case, the document was related to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The document number and CFR title are not specified in the article section, but it is mentioned that the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the NRC's regulatory actions.
A docket number, NRC-2019-0186, is provided for those who want to contact the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document.
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Summary and Introduction
The Homestake Mining Company has been working to restore the groundwater at its Grants Reclamation Project site in Milan, New Mexico. This effort is authorized under NRC License No. SUA-1471, which was issued originally in 1988.
The company is using an adaptive, ongoing strategy that includes monitoring, water management, water treatment, and source control to achieve this goal. The goal is to restore the concentrations of the constituents of concern to the acceptable groundwater standards.
The company has requested NRC approval to add a zeolite water treatment system to its license, which would remove low levels of uranium from contaminated groundwater. The NRC has prepared an environmental assessment as part of its review of this proposed action.
The NRC has concluded that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep is the Homestake Mine in South Dakota?
The Homestake Mine in South Dakota is approximately 8,000 feet deep. It's one of the deepest mines in the US, now slowly filling with water after being sealed in 2003.
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