USA – Engaging community through the restoration of former mining area

Mica has been mined at Kings Mountain (Performance Minerals North America Division )for 60 years. Restoration of one leased area provided a good opportunity to engage with the community. As part of ongoing activities, the company completed the capping and reclamation of part of a tailings impoundment in early April 2010. This tied in nicely with Arbor Day (holiday that encourages people to plant and care for trees.). Major customers (Sherwin-Williams), the landowner as well as 81 students from the local middle school were invited to visit the operation and plant trees. Imerys staff came from Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina to help prepare the event.

An educational display was produced on topics from local geology to mineral products, as well as post-mining reclamation. The operation was supported by the landowner, who contributed to the lunch cookout, and the North Carolina Forestry department, which subsidizes the nursery program.
Employees, students and customer representatives planted 700 Loblolly pine saplings. This went further than the company’s obligations to the landowner. As well as improving local knowledge of what the company does and how it contribute to the community, the initiative provided the opportunity to show how it is possible to leave the land better than it was initially.