Pioneer Coal Mine

Coordinates: 45°33′56.5″N 62°40′30.4″W / 45.565694°N 62.675111°W The Pioneer Coal Mine is an open pit coal mine in Stellarton, Nova Scotia. The owners of the mine are also investigating the feasibility of opening another open pit mine near Springhill, Nova Scotia.

Operations

The mine uses truck and shovel mining to extract coal from the pit. Coal mining has taken place in 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] remnants of the tunnels from underground mining can still be seen on the pit walls.[1] 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 concern with the local community.[3]

In 2014, Nova Construction of Antigonish, which is owned by the same people whom own Pioneer Coal, began a feasibility study to evaluate opening another open pit coal mine near Springhill, Nova Scotia.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Beswick, Aaron (24 June 2014). "The end of an era may be nearing for King Coal". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 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.