General Manager Detlev van der Veen and Community Relations Representative Monica Sill of Nevada Gold Mines LLC recently provided Lander County commissioners and residents with an update.
Sill said, “As you all know, July 1 became the effective date for Nevada Gold Mines, the joint venture between Barrick and Newmont, and a lot of people are curious as to what that means to the local communities.”
Van der Veen, who lives in Winnemucca, introduced himself and said he had been the mine manager at Phoenix.
“Two and a half years ago I came down from Canada and made Nevada my home,” said van der Veen. “The change with Nevada Gold Mines really isn’t going to affect this community. You’ll see a new logo, but the team we still have at Phoenix is the same team. It might be under a new leadership, myself included, but it’s the same team.”
Van der Veen said he had been the mine manager at Phoenix and had the opportunity to become the general manager. He is excited to continue to lead the existing team, and assured, “We have 500 committed team members that are part of this community. We are going to continue engaging the community and being stewards, going forward.”
Sill said, “As it relates to community involvement and engagement, a lot of people have questions about Legacy Fund.”
Sill stated the Legacy Fund will continue but it will become its own 501(c)(3) organization and will be administered by an outside party. More details will be provided as the months proceed, said Sill, who reiterated, “The Legacy Fund will be an employee contribution and company match program, but will be run by an outside administrator. As it relates to our community investment for local businesses and 501(c)(3) organizations here in the community, at this point in time, community relations for the region will review the applications, follow the same application process, and then we’ll get back with the applicants on whether or not the funds were granted, and the reason why. That will come back to the Phoenix site in a couple months as soon as we have that process identified.”
Sill reminded all the Quarterly Community Breakfasts will continue, “On Monday, August 5, our CEO Mark Bristow will be in Winnemucca, and we will be hosting a breakfast there for both Lander County and Humboldt County communities.”
