Stellarton Surface Coal Mine

Coordinates: 45°33′56.5″N 62°40′30.4″W / 45.565694°N 62.675111°W / 45.565694; -62.675111

Pioneer Coal Mine in 2015

The Stellarton Surface Coal Mine is an open pit coal mine located in Stellarton, Nova Scotia. It is owned and operated by Pioneer Coal Limited.

Operations

The mine began operations in 1980 and coal is extracted using truck and shovel mining. Coal mining has taken place in this area of Pictou County for more than 400 years, and the pit is the last operating coal mine in Nova Scotia[1] Underground mining previously took place in the area where the Stellarton pit is located[2] and occasionally remnants of the abandoned tunnels from underground mining can be seen on the pit walls.[1] Once coal has been extracted, the surface is restored through reclamation.

In 2014 Pioneer Coal applied to modify the "method of extraction" to include explosives, allowing them to blast through 9.1 metres (30 ft) of rock to access a 3.4 metres (11 ft) seam of coal. The application has raised concerns with the local community.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Beswick, Aaron (24 June 2014). "The end of an era may be nearing for King Coal". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  2. ↑ Beswick, Aaron (6 November 2013). "Springhill could dig coal". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  3. ↑ MacInnis, Adam (5 May 2014). "Residents concerned about proposed blasting at Pioneer Coal in Stellarton". The News. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
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