48 Mineral Exploration | amebc.ca
PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Exploration drilling continued in active
pits, and coal quality testing is underway
on several seams in the Swift expansion.
At Greenhills, exploration drilling was
focused on the Cougar pit, and the Fording
Swift project is being amended to include
portions of the Cougar north spoil area.
At Elkview, exploration drilling
was carried out to help plan for the
next phases of mine expansion in the
Baldy and Natal pits. Exploration and
development work continued on the
approved Phase II expansion area at
Line Creek, which extends the current
Burnt Ridge South pit to the north.
Coal Mountain continued to operate
through 2017 to develop the remaining
reserves, pushing back the expected mine
shut-down date to early in 2018. Teck Coal
Ltd. plans to make up production losses by
optimizing and increasing production at its
other four operating mines in the Elk Valley.
Several other coal projects are in
stages of environmental assessment.
CanAus Coal Ltd. continued drilling and
coal quality testing on potential expansion
areas at its Loop Ridge (Michel Creek)
project, which entered pre-application
stages of environmental assessment
in 2015. Jameson Resources Limited
began preliminary engineering design
work and continued environmental
baseline work on its Crown Mountain
project, which entered pre-application
of environmental assessment in
October 2014. The Bingay Main project
is also in pre-application stages of
environmental assessment. Centermount
Coal Ltd. submitted an updated project
description and consultation plan for a
proposed open pit that would produce
approximately one megatonne per
year for an estimated 15-year life.
Pacific American Coal Ltd. began
early-stage exploration and sampling
work, and conducted environmental
baseline and wildlife studies for
planned drilling at its Elko project.
SOUTHEAST REGION
Large diameter core for
coal quality testing at
Teck Coal Ltd.'s Fording
Swift expansion.
Discovery Mining.indd 1 2017-10-24 9:34 AM
