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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SASKATCHEWAN MINING ASSOCIATION COAL: Powering the Province WETLANDS RECLAIMING HABITAT A NEW CLASS OF ENGINEERS MINING IS FOSTERING NEW OPTIONS IN EDUCATION FREE THE CHILDREN A JOURNEY TO KENYA: A PERSPECTIVE OF OURSELVES FALL / WINTER 2013 Publication Mail Agreement No. 42154021 ORE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SASKATCHEWAN MINING ASSOCIATION FALL/WINTER 2013 ORE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SASKATCHEWAN MininG AssociATION FALL/WINTER 2013 wherever there’s mining, we’rE THERE. One of Poplar River Mine’s trains ready to be loaded with coal. ORE is produced solely by the Saskatchewan Mining Association. CONTENTS HEAD OFFICE CT OVER S ORY FEATURE FEATURE Suite 1500 2002 Victoria Avenue SASKATCHEWAN’S CO AL WORKFORCE Regina, Saskatchewan ® COAL INNOVATIONS No other manufacturer can offer what Caterpillar does: S4P 0R7 A New Class of Telephone: (306) 757-9505 Our #1 energy source Boundary and beyond Engineers The broadest line of surface and underground equipment in the industry. Fax: (306) 569-1085 www.saskmining.ca CONTACT FOR 6 10 22 Wherever there is drilling and digging, loading and hauling, grading and dozing, you will find ADVERTISERS ® Tap Communications Inc. Cat machines hard at work. Cat products are on more mine sites than any other equipment line, 505-230 22nd Street East COAL: A SUMMARY delivering the reliability and durability you need to mine efficiently and productively. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Saskatchewan’s coal deposits 5 S7K 0E9 Telephone: (306) 373-7330 ENVIRONMENT Kramer Ltd. offers the finest people, service and tooling throughout our province-wide branch [email protected] Reclaiming wetlands 15 network to meet and exceed the demands of Saskatchewan’s growing mining industry. All rights reserved. The contents of I NDUstRY OUTLOOK this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the Economic commentary 16 copyright owner. TECHNOLOGY LIDAR: Laser-sharp monitoring 18 C ovER PHOTO Chances are, the light you are using to ehART read this is powered by coal. Our two A Regina artist sparkles 20 feature stories in this issue shed new light on this importance resource, and BEYOND THE BIO how Saskatchewan is leading the way in Neil McMillan, President & CEO, Claude Resources Inc. 24 T F resource technology. ABLE TAGGING ALONG SECTION O A mission to Kenya 26 C ON ABORIGINAL SUCCESS T Northern trainers find a recipe for success 28 EN TS EDUCATION Fun in the classroom 30 1 KRAMER.CA ORE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SASKATCHEWAN MininG AssociATION FALL/WINTER 2013 ORE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SASKATCHEWAN MininG AssociATION FALL/WINTER 2013 MINING: GREAT FOR SASKATCHEWAN BUSINESSES! A MESSAGE FROM SMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOr – PAM SCHWANN 40% of the world relying on Mine operations are literally is a priority for the mining coal as their primary source in the backyard of many sector. This issue identifies of electricity, this innovative communities and ensuring two examples of how skilled technology has global they are environmentally and professional employees potential to reduce GHG’s. sustainable is an important are being developed – the part of today’s operations. mining option at the U of S Continuing with the global The wetland reclamation College of Engineering and Amazing Work-life theme, the economic work undertaken by Mosaic the coordinating role of commentary speaks to the in partnership with Ducks the International Minerals Atmosphere Balance international work underway Unlimited illustrates one Innovation Institute, and As Saskatchewan moves to provide greater revenue example of how development AREVA’s on-site mill operator from the season of air transparency amongst the and environmental training coordinated by conditioners to furnaces, mining sector, governments protection can co-exist Northern Career Quest. it is timely to give some and communities; the and even enhance your thought as to why we can Tagging Along article community’s backyard. Our Beyond the Bio features have the instant gratification follows PotashCorp’s home-grown Neil McMillan, of cool air in those few community investment The mining sector is a whose broad shoulders carry What’s important to me is important to k+s | Stephanie, HR Advisor days of +25C this past coordinator Renee Glushyk leading user and innovator the dual role of President & summer, or perhaps more to a community in Kenya; of technology and this CEO of Claude Resources importantly, the electricity and circling home, the issue explores how laser- Inc. and Chair, Cameco to ignite the furnace in eARTh article showcases based (LiDAR) technology Board of Directors. This the -25C days and nights the natural beauty of stones accurately measures changes issue also outlines how the ahead. And you can’t think through the exquisite to surface and subsurface SMA’s growing education about that without thinking jewellery of internationally formations. Along with outreach program can about what primarily powers renowned, Regina – advancements in technology, support educators. Class the province – Coal, the based Hillberg & Berk workforce development now in session – read on. subject of our cover story. Coal is responsible for providing the majority of baseload power World-class Close to in Saskatchewan. In (;(&87,9(&200,77(( 2012, coal from Sherritt International’s three VW9LFH3UHVLGHQW1HLO0F0LOODQ project home operations supplied 52% &ODXGH5HVRXUFHV,QF of our electricity compared to gas (22%), hydro (19%), QG9LFH3UHVLGHQW/HQ.DVNLZ wind (3%), imports (3%) 0RVDLF&RORQVD\ and other sources (1%). 0HPEHUDW/DUJH1DQF\&DVH 0RVDLF&RPSDQ\ New federal environmental regulations related to 0HPEHUDW/DUJH$OLFH:RQJ K+S lets me stay in Saskatchewan and do what I love | Curtis, Cavern Development Engineer reducing greenhouse &DPHFR&RUSRUDWLRQ gas (GHG) emissions eliminated conventional ([SORUDWLRQ6FRWW0F+DUG\ coal-fired electricity &DPHFR&RUSRUDWLRQ generation as future low-cost option. Our ,QGXVWULDO0LQHUDOV*UDKDP&RRSHU feature story outlines how 6KHUULWW&RDO3RSODU5LYHU0LQH SaskPower’s Boundary It’s not k+s unless it’s you + us EDI S 3RWDVK/DUU\/RQJ SECTION Dam Integrated Carbon T 3RWDVK&RUS$OODQ ORIAL Capture and Storage ORIAL 3UHVLGHQW6WHYH)RUWQH\ T Demonstration Project will 3RWDVK&RUS SECTION 8UDQLXP7DPP\9DQ/DPEDOJHQ S EDI ultimately lead to a 90% $5(9$5HVRXUFHV&DQDGD,QF reduction in carbon dioxide emissions while continuing to use local and accessible ks-potashcanada.com 2 coal resources. With over ZZZVDVNPLQLQJFD 3 ORE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SASKATCHEWAN MINING ASSOCIATION FALL/WINTER 2013 COAL Provided by Sask Geological Survey, Ministry of the Economy How do coal to less heat and pressure deposits form? and have lower thermal Time Coal forms through the values than bituminous or accumulation of decaying anthracite rank coals. While organic materials that some deposits of sub- Pressure settle in swampy anoxic bituminous coals do occur environments before being at deeper depths, all of the buried and subjected to coal currently mined in the long periods of heat and province is near-surface Heat pressure. In Saskatchewan, lignite from the Tertiary deposition of these organic Ravenscrag Formation which materials occurred numerous outcrops in the southern part times: primarily, during the of the province. Peat Lignite Coal Cretaceous period at around 110 million years ago (Ma) How is Saskatchewan What is Saskatchewan is anticipated to reduce (Mannville Formation) and coal mined? coal used for? greenhouse gas emissions around 75 Ma (Belly River Coal was the first mineral Originally used to heat by one million tonnes per Formation); and during the ever to be mined in farms and small villages, year. Unlike other higher rank Tertiary Period at around 65 Saskatchewan – as far today the vast majority of coals, lignite is not suitable Ma (Ravenscrag Formation). back as the 1870s. Many Saskatchewan coal is used for use as coking coal in steel The majority of Saskatchewan of the early coal mines in for thermal power generation, production, but its potential coals are lignite in rank, Saskatchewan were small with a small amount going for alternative fuel generation meaning they were subject underground operations to produce lignite char continues to be evaluated. where miners would excavate for barbeque briquettes. into hillsides and use logs Although there have been How much coal is there in Glossary of terms and timbers to support their hundreds of small coal mines Saskatchewan? drifts. Today, coal mining across the province over the While coal resources in Saskatchewan is entirely past 140 years, today there have been defined in mechanized with very large are only three. The Bienfait, several regions of southern A noxic – total drag lines that remove the Boundary Dam, and Poplar Saskatchewan from the depletion of oxygen. surficial cover and extract River coal mines, all operated Kindersley area to Lac La the lignite. After the coal by Sherritt International, Ronge to the more recent is removed, the disturbed Anthracite – highest feed SaskPower’s Shand discoveries near Hudson Bay, area is reclaimed according carbon content coal and Boundary Dam Power the majority of significant to government approved with fewest impurities. Stations near Estevan and evaluation work has been reclamation plans. Typically, the Poplar River Power done for the coal fields in Hard, compact coal overlying sediments are ® with a high lustre. Station near Coronach, the Estevan, Willow Bunch, set back in place and land respectively.