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By W. J. Blackstock

Introduction To The great majority of people, the term 'strip coal' has little or no meaning, or if it has any significance it is thought to refer to a poor grade of coal that had to be accepted during the war because no other fuel was available. Few people in the Province of Alberta realize the magnitude of our coal stripping industry, and fewer realize that strip coal has been available to domestic consumers for at least forty years. Among the first in the field of strip coal mining in Alberta were the Tofield Coal Company, Ltd., and Sterling Collieries Company Ltd. It was not until the advent of World War II, with its huge drain on industrial and domestic coal sup? plies produced by the underground mines, that some other source of coal was seriously sought. The tremendous shortage of manpower du ring this period of National emergency made it imperative that any increase in the coal production must be procured on a high tonnage per man-hour basis. It was therefore natural that the highly mechanized strip mine should be eagerly encouraged and subsidized by the Governmental agency - the Emergency Coal Production Board - under the very able direction of Mr. G. A. Vissac.

Jan 1, 1949

By Mitchell Gordon

"In almost all thickener applications the highest possible solid/liquid separation efficiency is what is desired by the user. There is a trend in the industry due to monetary restraints and environmental pressures to look at ways to extract this maximum performance by either retrofitting existing thickeners or installing the most cost effective new thickener. This paper looks at some of the common problem areas and presents a range of solutions developed by Outokumpu Mintec in North America and outokumpu's subsidiary Supaflo Technologies Pty. Ltd.The Emerging PictureAfter many hours of discussions with a large number of plant personnel over the last two years a picture began to emerge regarding current thickening operations in the industry. Initially, it seemed that everybody had their own unique process problems and therefore needed a correspondingly unique solution. Looking more closely at all the cases and the ideas that we had either implemented or suggested, it gradually became apparent that the majority of operators all had one and the same process need ....""Better Separation Efficiency""The range of operational problems that were uncovered in the survey were much more varied than expected and often were not even considered initially to be thickener problems. Often, it was only after the rejection of many solutions to the problem, generally due to capital cost, that the actual cause of the problem was looked at and found to be a thick-ener.A summary of the problems that have so far been identified is presented in Table 1. They are subdivided under three major categories of environmental, process and paste fill to highlight the wide range of mining activities that can be affected by poor thickener performance. These seem to be the major areas where the need for better separation efficiency is rooted."

Jan 1, 1995

By J. E. Reeves, J H. Morgan

Certain non-metallic minerals are used widely as fillers in the manufacture of many Canadian products. The first part of this paper deals in a general way with deposits of such minerals and their mining, with the concentration and preparation of the minerals for market, with specifications of the consumers, and with methods of control of the products to meet the specifications. The second part of the paper de-scribes talc as a specific example of mineral filler. Its production and uses in Canada and the possibility of producing higher grades of talc are discussed. Some suggestions are made for meeting the needs for mineral fillers as Canada's industry expands. RELATIVELY few people are sufficiently aware of the vast and important role that is being played in our everyday lives by mineral fillers. Many kinds of paints, papers and plastics, to mention three major classes of industrial products, are literally loaded

Jan 1, 1961

By P. Dent

"Rare earth permanent magnets (REPM) have become virtually indispensible in hundreds of applications including aerospace, automotive, electronics, energy, medical and military. An understanding of REPMs is important since they are key drivers of demand for the overall rare earth sector. Rare earth permanent magnets stand out due to their superior magnetic properties of high induction and coercive force. We will discuss the past, current and future of the permanent magnet market and supply chain. We will summarize present and potential new nanocomposite and lower content or non rare earth magnet technologies and customer options which may mitigate rare earth usage.INTRODUCTIONRare earth permanent magnets are ubiquitous and often unseen critical components in many civilian, green energy and military technologies. They have become imbedded in applications such as hybrid electric vehicles, computer hard drives, direct-drive high power wind generators, audio speakers, motors, energy conversion systems, most weapons systems and hundreds of other uses. Several rare earth elements including neodymium, samarium, dysprosium, praseodymium, terbium and gadolinium are essential ingredients in production of the highest performance magnets available in the world today. They have enabled vast miniaturization and the significant increase in power density in hundreds of applications.China has become the dominant source of rare earth elements over the last two decades. Today, nearly 100 percent of the world’s rare earth metals and more than 95 percent of the rare earth oxides come from China. China’s near worldwide monopoly on the production of downstream materials such as rare earth oxides, metals and magnets severely impacts the supply chain in this growing global market. The past decade has seen an unmistakable trend toward increased dominance in raw material production and manufacturing by China, and a steep decline in U.S. production capabilities, most notably in the neodymium iron boron (Nd-Fe-B) market where there is currently no domestic production. This Chinese dominance is further demonstrated with over 65 percent of hard ferrite and roughly half of aluminum nickel cobalt (Alnico) and samarium cobalt (Sm-Co) production in that nation (Figure 1). In addition, China has imposed export quotas and export taxes of up to 25 percent for rare earth elements, arguably in violation of their covenants made with their protocol of accession to the Word Trade Organization. These export quotas have been decreasing steadily over the last several years in spite of rising global demand and were slashed by 72 percent in July 2010 (Bradsher, 2010) causing many recent news stories."

Jan 1, 2012

By D. V. Krefting, D. R. Bennett

"The Cyprus Anvil Mining Corporation established a lead-zinc mine and concentrating plant at Faro in Yukon Territory in 1969. Following some 12 years of continuous operation from a single pit adjacent to the concentrator, the company decided to expand operations into two additional areas on the Vangorda Plateau. The two new deposits, known as Grum and Vangorda, are located some 15 kilometres from the existing concentrator.Confirmation of mining feasibility was followed by determination of the most practical and economical method of transporting the raw ore from the new mine sites to the existing concentrator. This analysis was carried out in two phases. The first phase reviewed the feasibility of alternative transportation systems on an 'order-of-magnitude' cost basis. This work identified systems worthy of more detailed examination. The second phase examined the preferred alternatives in greater detail.Initially, operating principles and parameters were established and catalogued. Then, based on these criteria, complete systems were developed utilizing alternative modes of transportation . In the overview analysis, some transportation modes were judged impractical and discarded, 'order-o f-magnitude' costs were developed for other systems and the most costly were eliminated . In the detailed study, the favourable systems were examined in depth which required development of accurate capital and operating costs, consideration of environ- mental impacts and an assessment of intangibles associated with the operation of a new development."

Jan 1, 1984

By H. Vendette, N. R. Dando, A. Moras

The thorough analysis of results obtained from different testing campaigns performed on an alumina dry-scrubber pilot installation treating aluminum potline offgases, suggests a clear relationship between the emissions of gaseous fluoride and the fluoride saturation level of the alumina. The integration of this relationship into the development of a new generation of alumina dry scrubber represents an intriguing challenge regarding the design of more efficient air pollution control equipment. An innovative scheme challenging conventional industry practices was proposed. From theoretical simulations, the reduction in fluoride emissions can potentially be reduced by as much as 50% in the summer season. To validate this innovative approach, Solios in partnership with Alcoa Primary Metals, modified one of the Aluminerie de Deschambault's systems by adding new temporary equipment on the operating units and subjecting it to several test campaigns. This article presents the first results obtained in testing this new and innovative approach on alumina dry scrubbers used to capture fluoride emissions coming from aluminum electrolysis potlines.

Jan 1, 2006

By P. Carlone, A. Astarita, F. Rubino

Cold gas dynamic spray is an innovative technology allowing the deposition of thin metallic layers on a bulk or sheet substrate. Titanium on aluminum deposition is very attractive to the aeronautic industry, due to the enhanced corrosion resistance and wear properties of titanium coating as well as its improved compatibility with CFRP, preserving the reduced cost of aluminum substrate. One main drawback, however, is related to the micro-porosity of the deposed layer, negatively affecting the corrosion barrier performance. In this paper, the effect of selective laser post-treatment on pure grade 2 titanium coatings on AA2020-T3 sheets was experimentally and numerically investigated. Morphological features, microstructure and chemical composition of the treated zone were assessed by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Microhardness measurements were also carried out to evaluate the mechanical properties of the treated coating. A numerical model of the laser treatment, based on a finite volume scheme, was implemented and solved to simulate the process and discuss the experimental outcomes. Obtained results highlighted the key role played by heat input and dimensional features on the effectiveness of the treatment.

Jan 1, 2015

By P. C. M. Knops, K. Rijnsburger, R. M. Santos

To overcome the challenges of mineral CO2 sequestration, this work utilizes a unique proprietary Gravity Pressure Vessel (GPV) reactor technology, and focuses on reaction products of high economic value. The GPV provides intense process conditions through hydrostatic pressurization and heat exchange integration that harvests exothermic reaction energy. Here, laboratory-scale tests of the envisioned process was performed in tubular and continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) autoclave reactors. The mineral used was Olivine (~Mg1.6Fe2+0.4(SiO4) + ppm Ni/Cr), although asbestos, steel slags and oil shale residues are also under investigation. The effect of several process parameters on reaction extent and product properties was tested: CO2 pressure, temperature, residence time, additives (buffers, lixiviants, chelators, oxidizers), solids loading, and mixing rate. The products (carbonates, amorphous silica and Chromite) were physically separated (based on size, density and magnetic properties), characterized (for chemistry, mineralogy and morphology) and tested in intended applications (e.g. as pozzolanic carbon-negative building material). Economically, it is found that product value is the main driver for mineral carbonation, rather than, or in addition to, the sequestered CO2. The approach of using a GPV and focusing on valuable reaction products could thus make CO2 mineralization a feasible and sustainable hydrometallurgical process.

Jan 1, 2015

By G. S. Hume

FOR MANY YEARS Canada lived in the hope of attaining a substantial production of petroleum and natural gas that, to geologists familiar with the sedimentary basins of this country, seemed an entirely reasonable expectation. There have been surges of exploration activity stimulated by oil and gas discoveries and development such as occurred in Turner Valley. However, it was not until the Leduc field in Alberta was found in 1947, and the significance of that discovery was realized, that the search became really intensive and continuons. Expansion now has become a matter-of-fact attitude based on results which would have been considered impossible of achievement a few years ago.

Jan 1, 1957

By V. Bazhko, V. Yahorava

The calcium sulphate waste stream of the wet phosphoric acid process, commonly called phosphogypsum (PG), contains the majority of rare earth elements (REE) initially present in the apatite feedstock. Mainly light and middle REE are present in PG and their total concentration ranges from 0.27% to 0.35% by mass. Worldwide, around 7 billion tonnes of PG have been produced to date at a current growth rate of 150-200 million tonnes per annum. In total, an estimated 21 million tonnes of REE are locked in PG waste dumps around the world. Due to the value of the REE contained in PG dumps a number of processes have been devised for their recovery. The majority of these processes applied complete or partial gypsum dissolution, but were deemed not viable due to high capital and operating costs. Mintek developed an alternative method for the recovery of REE from PG by applying Resin-in-Leach (RIL) technology. This technology was tested on PG sampled from dumps and current arisings from South African phosphoric acid production plants. The extensive testwork program included evaluation of various lixiviants and optimisation of lixiviant additions, optimisation of REE leach and adsorption conditions, batch equilibrium and kinetic adsorption tests, continuous RIL testwork and numerous variability tests. It was found that PG from different sources was highly variable, both in terms of REE recovery as well as physical properties of the material such as viscosity and filterability of the slurry. The recovery of REE varied from 15% to 80% depending on the origin of the samples. A high-level economic study indicated that at a price of >21 $/kg for mixed REE oxide product in conjunction with an overall REE recovery as low as 15% the economics of REE recovery from PG via RIL technology may already be favourable.

Jan 1, 2016

By J. Worden, D. Hughes, S. Smart, H. Zughbi

The enterprise wide optimization (EWO) of steelmaking and manufacturing is a multi-level, hierarchical problem which spans higher level corporate planning and scheduling through to the lower level operations of processes that produce and manufacture steel. External and internal system dynamics combined with process unit co-ordination create complex changing circumstances for the enterprise. This paper presents a scoping study as a prelude to enterprise wide considerations at an integrated steelworks to help inform the choice of appropriate model types and optimization techniques. The hierarchical, multi-level structure of the enterprise and the important spatial-temporal scales to consider are defined. Insights into the system were gained by analyzing a large set of dynamic operational data. Over two years of data were subject to both univariate and multivariate analysis with the intent of understanding the complex interrelations of energy flows on site, the inherent system dynamics of the energy network, system operational modes, aspects of planning and scheduling and the coordination between major processing units. This analysis was further used to evaluate the performance of the system in regards to energy utilization and understand the potential economic benefits derived from improved operational decisions.

Jan 1, 2015

By J. D. Bateman

Introduction The lifting of restrictions on the development of radioactive mineral deposits by private individuals has re-opened the search for uranium in Canada to a large body of professionally trained prospectors. The entry of private capital and experienced prospecting techniques into the search for radioactive minerals has been enormously stimulated by the atomic developments of the past several years; and we can now look forward to the discovery of new productive sources of uranium. The rate of new discoveries will, how ?ever, depend on the effectiveness of the methods used. The large number of new pitchblende occurrences reported within the past several months is largely a measure of the energy with which the portable Geiger-Müller counter has been applied in the field. The counter is simply a 'radio' receiver tuned to one of the products of spontaneous atomic disintegration that is characteristic of all radioactive materials. Its effective use depends largely on how it is applied under the various geological and topographical conditions that ma y be encountered, and also on an understanding of its limitations. Extensive geological information relating to the occurrence of radioactive minerals in Canada has been accumulated during the past several years, and it is now possible to define in a general way many of the geological formations in which pitchblende and related minerals are likely to occur. Furthermore, prospecting can be localized in those parts of the favourable formations that offer the greater promise of containing commercial deposits. In this selection, the Geiger counter is the most useful tool available to the prospector for the actual detection of radioactive materials. As an example, an area of two square miles in the Northwest Territories, within which about a dozen pitchblende occurrences had been found over a several year period by conventional prospecting methods, yielded more than forty-five additional discoveries by application of the Geiger counter. Yet earlier attempts at prospecting this area with the counter had failed, due largely to faulty instruments and lack of experience in field application. The limitations of the counter are very considerable; but, when they are recognized, there is no more useful tool for the discovery of radioactive ores. It was not until 1944 that a practicable portable counter was developed, and then only by co-operation in the field by geologists and physicists. Officers of the Geological Survey of Canada working with physicists of the National Research Council brought about the development of the modern counter.

Jan 1, 1949

By Jian Li, Robbie McDonald, David Robinson

"The pressure oxidation of sulfide minerals at temperatures above 200°C enables the extraction of base metals, improves the extractability of gold from refractory ores, enables solubilisation of PGEs and can be used to hydrothermally upgrade base metal-containing feeds. Fundamental studies reveal that the solution chemistry (and mineralogy of the solids) during pressure oxidation can be manipulated with outcomes that include (1) increased leaching rates, (2) lower oxygen requirements and (3) the formation of chemically more stable residues. This paper presents examples describing how these outcomes might be achieved based upon fundamental investigations.INTRODUCTION The application of pressure oxidation to the processing of gold ores and concentrates dates back several decades and continues to be the process of choice at operations such as Pueblo Viejo (pyritic gold) which host the largest autoclave of its kind in the world (Barrick Gold Corporation, 2016). Commercial application to the processing of base metals and PGMs resides with long established processes such as the Sherritt process, ore specific applications such as by Noril’sk, at Sepon etc. or has not proceeded to date beyond pilot scale testing (e.g. Phelps Dodge, CESL, Activox, Platsol). Recently there has been significant interest in hydrothermal upgrading options for concentrates including the NONOX and Toowong processes (Rohner et al., 2016; Weidenbach et al., 2016). The latter options suggest directions where sound knowledge of the underlying fundamentals enables novel outcomes and efficiencies to be obtained. It comes as no surprise that investigations similar to those underpinning these developing processes can be traced back several decades. It is not the subject of this paper to provide a historical perspective of the relevant autoclave chemistries but rather, to present some potential opportunities suggested by studies in our laboratories. Topics to be discussed in this paper include (1) control of metal extraction rates, (2) control of iron-residue composition and (3) control of sulfur oxidation and hence acid generation and oxygen requirements. The work described will focus upon the pressure oxidation of a nickel concentrate."

Jan 1, 2017

By Patrick E. Cavanagh

"A pilot shaft furnace was operated for one year at Steep Rock to produce special high-grade products from coarse ore, using lignite as fuel. The furnace is 10 ft in diameter and 60 ft high. When operated to heat coarse Steep Rock ore to drive off combined water and give a 64-per-cent-Fe product, the fuel consomption was 900,000 Btu's per long ton of product. The furnace was run in this way from September 1966 to January 1967 to establish the technique of feeding and discharging the furnace and controlling the gas composition and temperature. The furnace is similar in operation to a lignite water gas producer containing a large proportion of catalytic iron oxide. Steam injection is used to control the temperature. The product was tumbled in a rotary trommel to stabilize it. The resulting fines could be fed to the conventional pellet plant at Steep Rock. The furnace was next operated to make 77-per-cent-Fe metallized coarse ore. Several major modifications in de-sign were made and the furnace was successfully operated for short periods to maintain the required conditions to remove 75 per cent of the oxygen from the ore to give a 75-per-cent-reduced product at a grade of 77 per cent iron. The furnace cooling zone was operated under positive pressure, with internai alkaline water sprays to cool the charge. The product was discharged from the open bottom of the furnace without serions reoxidation. The metallized ore was magnetically separated from the discharge. Most of the charred lignite discharged along with the ore is re-cycled. Fuel requirement was 11,000,000 Btu's per long ton of product. This metallized coarse ore is intended for blast furnace feed. A short test run was carried out to establish the conditions for making a highly reduced melting stock for steel furnaces. To achieve 90 per cent reduction and over 90 per cent Fe, the furnace must be slowed down so that the production rate is about one-half the rate when making a 75-per-cent-reduced metallized product. Fuel requirement is 15,000,000 Btu's per long ton of product. The simple shaft furnace developed is similar to the top half of a blast furnace, with some major modifications to allow discharging into the open air. This Low Temperature Blast Furnace program has been technically successful and has resulted in making data available for the design of a commercial plant. Study of the commercial feasibility of large-scale production of metallized coarse ore at Steep Rock is still continuing."

Jan 1, 1968

By H. Hamza

Efficient and effective management of extraction process tailings is an essential ingredient for the continued success and development of Alberta's vast oil sands resources. Open-pit oil sands operations north of Fort McMurray recover bitumen from flotation circuits. Process tailings are managed in carefully engineered and monitored external tailings management facilities and in below-grade mine pits. In order to support reduction of production costs and improve upon established tailings management practices, CANMET has been working with the oil sands industry in a collaborative framework to assess the potential to integrate thickened tailings into oil sands extraction process flowsheets. Albian Sands has commercialized the process while others, including Syncrude Canada Ltd., continue to evaluate the suitability of the process for their operations. This paper provides an update on R&D work undertaken in recent years to assess and develop the potential of thickened tailings technology for the open-pit oil sands operators of northern Alberta. The aim of this work was to explore opportunities to optimize process efficiency and environmental sustainability by improving water and energy conservation and develop more alternatives for tailings management and reclamation.

Jan 1, 2004

By H. J. Burchell

"IntroductionTHE PURPOSE of this paper is to introduce the reader to rock bolting and its present application in mining.Rock bolting consists of bolting insecure rock to secure rock in order to form a safe structure. The insecure rock may be a weak beam or loose from arching or from sloughing. The material is strengthened and held in place before damage can result.Little is known of the limitations of rock bolting; to date, work has been carried on by trial-and-error, with large safety factors being used. Rock bolts have been principally used for roof support. Bolting offers a new field of support to the mining industry: it now has a permanent position as a ground control method.HistoryRock bolting is a relatively new means of support, its exact origin being unknown.Bolting has been in use at the St. Joseph Lead Company's property in Southeastern Missouri for the past twenty-six years, the first attempts having been hit-or-miss trials before a systematic attack was made. Many instances of occasional use of rock bolts have come to light .in widely separated mining camps, .some dating back forty years.The first installations were made as supplements to wooden timbering where space was restricted. The excessive costs compared to wooden timbering hindered their advancement for a number of years"

Jan 1, 1955

By N. Torres, G. Melcher

"An alternative to building new copper smelters, because of either stringent environmental regulations or in order to expand current plant capacity, could be achieved through the retrofitting of old reverberatory furnaces by making use of tonnage oxygen. The CONTOP® technology offers unique advantages over other techniques for this purpose, especially regarding substantial reduction in bath, capital and operating costs. This is possible to achieve since the reverb throughput could be largely increased with no major structural modifications to the furnace.The following options are offered to the smelter operators: dirty concentrates can be treated in an adjacent Contop system, or the cyclones can be mounted on the reverb roof for either dual operation or full Contop operation. ln the tatter case the furnace will be used as a settling chamber and f or slag c1eaning by top blowing with reducing gases.By incorporating Contop technology, the furnace throughput can be increased, higher malle grade, fixation of sulphur from furnace off-gas and substantial savings in energy consumption are possible to attain.IntroductionCopper smelting has been revolutionized during the last quarter century to such an extent that the standard type of plants consisting o f roasters and reverb furnaces seem a thing of the past, or almost. Though the building of new, more energy efficient smelters is a very likely opportunity for a grassroots plant, it would be hardly justifiable to replace an old existing plant unless there are heavy environmental or economic constraints(1,2,3)."

Jan 1, 1984

By L. Lorio, B. Hilscher, P. Nayak, N. Yoon

"Mining has been a staple to technological advancement ever since the dawn of time. By harnessing the different physical and chemical properties that each mining commodity brings to the table, more and more innovation is developed and manufactured. As these non-renewable resources continue to be extracted, the industry as a whole faces a challenge in finding the next economical deposit as well as declining grade at the current operations. By means of pre-concentration, ore sorting aims to separate the barren material from the valuable ore to reduce energy consumption and tailings generation, while increasing the feed grade, concentrate grade, mill recovery, and revenue. In addition, ore sorting allows the modification of deposit geometallurgy in order to allow the creation of an optimal mill feed. This paper evaluates the applicability and challenges of ore sorting by utilizing the results from four different mines, and reviews them in detail. The mines include one underground and three open pit mines that are precious metal operations. In order to understand the applicability of ore sorting in these operations, initial rock-by-rock test results and different types of assays (atomic adsorption [AA], inductively coupled plasma [ICP], and fire assay) are utilized. Using the assay results, the grade recovery curves for ore sorting are generated and they are further improved by using and developing an ore sorting algorithm, which is discussed in this paper. The application and evaluation of ore sorting in greenfield and brownfield properties will also be discussed. The state of the art ore sorting technologies for both rock-by-rock and bulk sorting are also reviewed in this paper. The future technologies on the horizon, including different combinations of sensors, are explained. The sorting technologies include X-ray transmission (XRT), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), colour, infrared, electromagnetic, and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)."

Jan 1, 2017

By V. Aitken

Line-of-sight radio control has received widespread acceptance for use in many mining methods because today’s technology offers improved economics and personnel safety. Significant advances in higher autonomy for mining machines are not currently seeing widespread use even though they offer great future potential. With autonomous capabilities being a longer-term goal, a logical sequence of advances based on TeleRemote control is proposed. Under Tele - Remote control, the operator is in direct control of the machine at all times. Three levels of Tele - Remote control systems are presented including line-of-sight, extended line-of-sight, and full load-haul-dump applications. Distributed control and sensing subsystems arranged in a vehicle control area network support incremental system expansion through the three levels of TeleRemote control and prepare the machine for integration of higher levels of automation as mature technology becomes available. This approach allows full exploitation of today’s mining automation technology with a flexible future growth path.

Jan 1, 1998

By Roger J. Goodman, Don Riva

"IntroductionCrows Nest Resources Limited (CNRL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shell Canada Resources Limited, is nearing completion of its first coal project, located in southeastern British Columbia. CNRL shipped over 700,000 tonnes of thermal coal to foreign markets in 1982. With the completion of the metallurgical coal plant in December, 1982, shipments of both thermal and metallurgical coal will increase substantially in 1983 and will approach the anticipated operating capacity of 3.0 million tonnes in 1985. The Line Creek Mine lies some 25 kilometres north of Sparwood in southeast British Columbia (Fig. 1). The open-pit mine is located on top of Line Creek Ridge, with coal being hauled 16 km to the thermal and metallurgical coal preparation plants, situated adjacent to the already existing Canadian Pacific Railway. Most of the coal is moved by 108 car unit trains by CP Rail to coal ports in Vancouver, where it is loaded onto vessels destined for overseas markets. Some smaller scale car load shipments are moved by rail to contiguous markets in the Pacific Northwest. History The southeastern British Columbia area, known as the East Kootenays, is steeped in a rich coal mining heritage, dating back to the latter part of the nineteenth century. Predecessors of Crows Nest Resources Limited were instrumental in developing the rich coal reserves in the area. In 1887, William Fernie, a pioneer-cum-prospector recognized the potential of coal deposits in the East Kootenays. Spurred by the relentless push west of the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Crows Nest Pass area, Fernie recognized that it was just a matter of time before the steam locomotives provided him with his required market. That time arrived in 1897 when Fernie helped to form the Crows Nest Pass Coal Company and coal mining commenced at Coal Creek, near his namesake town of Fernie. During its almost 70-year history, this company produced over 48 million tonnes of steam coal and 8 million tonnes of coking coal. In 1965, the Crows Nest Pass Coal Company was re-named Crows Nest Industries, to better reflect its expanded interests into forest products, and it is the latter company which Shell Canada Resources Limited acquired in 1978. The extensive coal resources of Shell, in both Alberta and British Columbia, were rationalized into one group with the birth of Crows Nest Resources Limited to manage and develop the coal holdings."

Jan 1, 1985