Comstock Mining, as well as other entities, was a Nevada Excellence in Mine Reclamation Award for Abandoned Mine Lands Hazard Mitigation that included the rebuilding of State Route 342 and reclamation of Historic Mine Features at the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) Board of Directors’ meeting on Monday, Dec. 11.
Following a period of heavy precipitation in 2015, cracks were detected in State Route 342 located adjacent to Comstock Mining’s Lucerne Mine operations near Gold Hill in Storey County. Comstock Mining, in a collaborative effort with NDOT and Storey County, engineered, rebuilt and aligned the highway. Also, a new permanent channel was constructed for Gold Canyon Creek, and State Route 342 was realigned for safety and stability.
The effort included the removal and remediation of legacy, imported mercury that remained in tailings and dump material located beneath the highway as well as the permanent capping of an historic mine shaft.
Comstock paid for the entire project, while NDOT provided design, construction, and other support.
