Alberta Energy Regulator investigating release from coal mine into Smoky River
The Alberta Energy Regulator is investigating the owner of the Grande Cache coal mine, in the western foothills of the Rocky Mountains, following two separate releases of industrial wastewater. The company, CST Canada Coal Ltd., allegedly failed to notify the AER about the incidents immediately after they happened. The provincial energy watchdog is now in the first phase of its probe. The AER’s handling of spills has been under public scrutiny recently, after the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and Mikisew Cree First Nation criticized it and Imperial Oil Resources Ltd. IMO-T for failing to tell them that water tainted with toxic oil sands tailings had for months been seeping off the Kearl oil sands site, north of Fort McMurray, Alta. The first incident at the Grande Cache mine happened on Dec. 29, when about 107,000 litres of coal wash water was released from the project. Coal wash water is used to separate the fossil fuel from rocks, dirt and other impurities, and it can contain various toxic substances. Then, on March 4, more than a million litres of coal fines – extremely small particles of coal suspended in water – were released from a settling pond at the mine into the Smoky River. The total suspended solids exceeded the company’s approved limits. The AER told The Globe and Mail in an e-mail that, after it became aware of the second spill, investigators visited the mine to assess the impact and directed CST Coal to clean up the release and put in place continuing monitoring and testing of the surrounding environment. The regulator said CST Coal is working to determine the cause of the spills, and is required to submit a release prevention plan to prevent similar incidents in the future. It added that there are currently no reported impacts on the public or wildlife. The federal Environment Department did not respond to questions about whether it is investigating the spills, or had been informed of them. CST Coal told the AER that it had contacted stakeholders, including nearby Indigenous communities, to inform them of both incidents. The AER itself also reached out to stakeholders following the second spill, the regulator said. Aseniwuche Winewak Nation, whose territory extends across land by the mine and the Smoky River, could not immediately confirm whether or not it had been contacted about the spills. The municipal district of Greenview, which includes Grande Cache, declined to say whether it had been informed. The company said in an e-mail that it is cooperating with AER investigators and has complied with all of the regulator’s requests to date. CST Coal took over ownership of the metallurgical coal mine in 2018, after the former owners, Grande Cache Coal, went into receivership. The highest fine imposed on a coal company under Canada’s Fisheries Act, which governs contamination of waterways, was in March, 2021, when Teck Coal Ltd. was ordered to pay a total of $60-million in fines and monetary court orders after it pleaded guilty to two offences. The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Environment Department, which revealed that Teck’s operations were depositing harmful coal mine waste rock leachate into the upper Fording River in B.C.

Alberta Energy Regulator investigating release from coal mine into Smoky River

CALGARY, AB--(Marketwired - January 25, 2018) - Altitude Resources Inc. ("Altitude" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: ALI ) is pleased to provide this update on its 100% owned Altitude North metallurgical coal property. Since 2014, Altitude has been acquiring strategic Alberta coal lease applications at its Altitude North property in west central Alberta. Most recently, in November 2018 the Company applied for and was granted three additional lease applications totaling approximately 4,590 hectares. Altitude has now amassed 13 coal lease applications covering an area of approximately 19,400 contiguous hectares at Altitude North. The property is located near the town of Grande Cache, Alberta, approximately 60 km northwest of the company's Palisades Coal Project. It is immediately adjacent to the Grande Cache Coal Mine property (see ownership update below). Altitude North 2015 Field Work
In 2015 Altitude announced that it had discovered a multiple near surface mid-volatile coking coal deposit at its Altitude North property. Seven individual seams were identified ranging in estimated true thickness from .3 to 6.0 meters. The 2015 field program was overseen out by Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd. Coal quality testing indicated the coal rank to be mid-volatile coking coal. Initial historic Alberta government exploration reports showed some coal outcrops which were identified from field work in the 1960 - 1980s but there are no reports of any field drilling. The property stretches over a length of 23 km (northwest to southeast). No formal field work has been performed since mid-2015. Highlights of the August 13, 2015 announcement include:
Grande Cache member was confirmed to have a south-southeast to north-northwest trend that can be traced consistently along mountain ridgelines. Grande Cache member is expressed along prominent dip-slop ridgelines and potentially a large anticline fold structure in the central and north sections of the project. Grande Cache member was mapped in the southern section of the property along a south-southeast to north-northwest trending anticline fold. Identifying coal seams that were not historically reported
All three mapping locations identified, and sampled significant surficial coal seams ranging from 0.3 m to 6 m (some seams including minor coaly partings). These include estimated seam thicknesses of 3 - 5 m, without partings. Measured bedding intervals support lateral extension of Grande Cache formation and the coal seams it contains. Favorable bedding measurements closely follow topographic slopes (30 to 40 degree bedding dips in key property areas). The raw coal samples range in ash content from 5.85% to 38.77%, averaging 25.21%. The Volatile Matter ranges from 21.07% to 26.37% confirming this is a Mid Volatile Bituminous coal type. The Sulphur values are low ranging from 0.25% to 0.47%. The very low LT values confirm that this coal is highly oxidized and therefore has lost all of its plastic properties. This supports the need for subsurface evaluation. Historic petrographic results range from 1.13 to 1.39, with new petrographic results expected soon. 2015 petrographic results show a good mid-volatile coal rank of Ro 1.14 to 1.20 which is optimum for coking coals
The average Ro is 1.18, the Vitrinite content is 66.51% and the reactive/inert ratio is 3.09/1. This suggests the unoxidized coal should have excellent coking properties and produce a high Stability coke after carbonization. Grande Cache Coal Mine Ownership Update and Expected Mine Re-Start
On January 8, 2018 the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench approved the sale of certain assets of Grande Cache Coal Ltd. ("GCC"), paving the way for a re-start of mining operations in late 2018. Following the approval, Deloitte Restructuring Inc., the court appointed receiver of GCC announced that the successful bidder was Sonicfield Global Ltd., a Chinese resource investment company. The mine, which is located near the town of Grande Cache in the western Alberta Rocky Mountains, closed in December 2015 due to slumping coking coal prices. GCC was forced into receivership in January 2017 after its Chinese owner defaulted on debt payments of roughly CDN $500 million. SonicField has said it intends to reopen the mine in 2018 and the coal mine is accepting expressions of interest for a number of senior job posting. Details of the transaction will not be made public until three months after the deal is closed, which is expected to happen in May. This anticipated mine re-opening comes at a time of higher, stabilizing coking coal prices, which have now been hovering in the US $250 range and are expected to remain strong throughout 2018. Commenting on the Grande Cache situation and its implications for Altitude North, Gene Wusaty, President and CEO said, "We were very pleased to learn of the successful sale of the GCC assets and that the new investors intend to re-start operations in the current year. For over four decades GCC and its predecessors has been a major economic driver to the region. As we continue our exploration efforts at our Altitude North project later in 2018 we will look for ways to work with the GCC operators to find synergies in the region." Gene Wusaty, President & CEO, a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this release. About Altitude Resources
Altitude Resources is a Canadian coking coal exploration and development company focused on developing its portfolio of coking coal properties in the province of Alberta, Canada. Altitude's properties are all located within close proximity to rail with spare capacity and the ability to provide transport of coal to deep-water ports on the west coast of Canada to service the growing demand from world markets. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes without limitation, statements regarding the size and quality of the Company's mineral resources, progress in the development of mineral properties, future capital and operating expenses, the future financial or operating performance of the Company, the prospective mineralization of the properties, planned exploration programs and the anticipated production schedule. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on assumptions that have been made by the Company as at the date of such information, including those assumption described in the Company's technical report entitled "Resource Estimate of the Palisades Coal Property" dated November 28, 2011 which is available at www.sedar.com . Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the future price of coal, industry market trends and predictions, the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, operating and exploration expenditures, costs and timing of future exploration, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations including changes in government policies, environmental risks, reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims, limitations of insurance coverage, regulatory matters, and other risks described in the public filings of the Company. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Altitude North Property Update and Recent Sale and Expected Re-start of Adjacent Grande Cache Coal Mine

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A coal mine in Grande Cache is bankrupt, delivering another setback to the town northwest of Edmonton that once relied heavily on the steelmaking coal producer as its economic engine. Grande Cache Coal has attempted to calm fears at the municipality — which is dealing with shrinking tax revenues as residents leave and businesses shutter — with assurances the mine will reopen this summer. "Grande Cache's legacy is the coal mine; it will always be the coal mine," said Yvonne Rempel, a town councillor. "Is our community still struggling? Absolutely, but it's also the downturn in the economy...
"As council, we're doing our best to stabilize what we already have and continue to work with industry and see what we can do to move things forward." Grande Cache Coal declined to comment, but the company sent a letter to the town warning it was heading into receivership, which would allow it to restructure, and that the mine would reopen in July. According to court documents, financial lenders forced the company into bankruptcy last week. The mine is owned by Chinese coal producer Up Energy Development Group Ltd., which defaulted on debt payments in 2016, having owed hundreds of millions of dollars. "At a time when Up Energy was paying huge interest costs (on its debt), they were getting very little return on the coal sales," due to slumping prices, said Gary Taje, spokesman for United Mine Workers of America which represents Grande Cache miners. Taje said a court-appointed receiver will put the Alberta mining assets up for sale. He believes the company will be cheaper to buy because some of its debt will be written down during the bankruptcy. "There is a very good opportunity for this mine to be open by summer," he said. The mine has been shuttered since 2015, when the company dealt with a collapsed global market for steelmaking coal. It had been the town's biggest employer, with 500 union members working a year before the closure. The shutdown, combined with a broader economic downturn, delivered a major blow to the town, which now relies on Grande Cache Institution, a medium-security prison, as its top employer. "We've seen some people move out of the community; housing prices have declined," Rempel said, adding she expects the total value of real estate is sliding, putting a major dent in the town's budget. "We also have some businesses closing." Facing a dwindling tax base, the town asked the provincial government last year to assess its viability and explore whether it should be absorbed into the Municipal District of Greenview. The town had earlier asked Greenview for $11.5 million annually, which would have meant the municipal district would contribute 80 per cent of the town's budget, raising concerns it is not viable on its own. The review is expected to begin this spring as a team of municipal and provincial government officials "develop recommendations for Grande Cache's future," according to Alberta Municipal Affairs. In the meantime, town residents have been dealing with disappointments surrounding the coal mine. Grande Cache Coal announced in November it had planned to resume mining operations in the first three months of 2017, pending shareholder approval and negotiation of important contracts. Bankruptcy proceedings have crippled those plans, at least for now. "As council, we'll do our best to help Grande Cache Coal in any way possible to get the mine up and running," Rempel said. "At the same time, as a town we're always looking at our alternatives, at what else we can do to maintain our economy to get us through this rough patch." As Advertised in the Calgary SUN
Grande Cache Coal bankrupt as town deals with declining population
First posted:
Monday, February 06, 2017 08:56 PM MST
A coal mine in Grande Cache is bankrupt, delivering another setback to the town northwest of Edmonton that once relied heavily on the steelmaking coal producer as its economic engine. Grande Cache Coal has attempted to calm fears at the municipality — which is dealing with shrinking tax revenues as residents leave and businesses shutter — with assurances the mine will reopen this summer. "Grande Cache's legacy is the coal mine; it will always be the coal mine," said Yvonne Rempel, a town councillor. "Is our community still struggling? Absolutely, but it's also the downturn in the economy...
"As council, we're doing our best to stabilize what we already have and continue to work with industry and see what we can do to move things forward." Grande Cache Coal declined to comment, but the company sent a letter to the town warning it was heading into receivership, which would allow it to restructure, and that the mine would reopen in July. Top stories

Grande Cache Coal bankrupt as town deals with declining population

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Grande Cache is looking at whether to give up its town status and become part of the surrounding municipal district because of continuing financial problems. The town, which faces a sharp drop in property assessments and a rise in taxes following layoffs at several major employers, asked the province two weeks ago for a viability review to determine whether it can keep operating. “In small municipalities such as we live in, the revenues are very limited … We have been talking about this for a very long time,” Mayor Herb Castle said Sunday. “It’s basically us struggling with raising utility fees and user fees, raising taxes and trying to meet our cost requirements … The town is some 45 years old and the infrastructure is old.”
The economy has also gone through a downturn, although Castle said this is not the reason for seeking the review. Grande Cache Coal suspended surface and underground operations during 2015, throwing about 400 people out of work in the centre 430 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, built as a coal town in 1969. In March, Maxim Power Corp. announced it was temporarily shutting a coal-fired electrical generator, putting another 37 people on the street. There are also concerns about the future of the medium-security Grande Cache Institution, a provincially owned facility run by the federal government under a lease that expires in 2020 that still hasn’t been renewed. “We’re seeing more houses being foreclosed because people can’t make ends meet,” Coun. Mary Nelson said. “That hurts our revenues down the road. That hurts our businesses, which are quite heavily taxed. Unfortunately, we just can’t offer a lot of relief for the businesses.”
The town has implemented a wage and hiring freeze, but without federal and provincial grants for a new $13-million water treatment plant, people would have had to boil their drinking water. About $60 million in spending is forecast over the next few years. The review sought from the Department of Municipal Affairs involves looking at governance, finances, infrastructure and services to determine whether changes are required for the community to remain viable. Local residents — the population is thought to have dropped from 4,319 people in the 2011 census — get a vote if councillors support dissolution, which could see Grande Cache become part of the surrounding Municipal District of Greenview. “Council believes the town’s financial situation in 2016 is sustainable,” says information on the civic website, which indicates a dozen other Alberta villages and the town of Swan Hills are undergoing or have completed similar reviews. “Looking into the future, with the anticipated reduction in assessment and expected/unexpected capital requirements to maintain the town’s infrastructure, we anticipate the town will be in an increasingly unstable financial position.”
Financial problems grew over the years because money wasn’t put away to replace infrastructure and user fees didn’t cover service costs, the website says. A public meeting is scheduled June 27, but Nelson is concerned Grande Cache won’t be able to survive as an independent municipality. “As is, our town cannot financially operate much longer without serious, serious cuts or serious tax increases.”
gkent@postmedia.com
As Advertised in the Edmonton SUN
Northwest Alberta coal town could dissolve over lack of funds


Northwest Alberta coal town could dissolve over lack of funds

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Grande Cache is looking at whether to give up its town status and become part of the surrounding municipal district because of continuing financial problems. The town, which faces a sharp drop in property assessments and a rise in taxes following layoffs at several major employers, asked the province two weeks ago for a viability review to determine whether it can keep operating. “In small municipalities such as we live in, the revenues are very limited … We have been talking about this for a very long time,” Mayor Herb Castle said Sunday. “It’s basically us struggling with raising utility fees and user fees, raising taxes and trying to meet our cost requirements … The town is some 45 years old and the infrastructure is old.”
The economy has also gone through a downturn, although Castle said this is not the reason for seeking the review. Grande Cache Coal suspended surface and underground operations during 2015, throwing about 400 people out of work in the centre 430 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, built as a coal town in 1969. In March, Maxim Power Corp. announced it was temporarily shutting a coal-fired electrical generator, putting another 37 people on the street. There are also concerns about the future of the medium-security Grande Cache Institution, a provincially owned facility run by the federal government under a lease that expires in 2020 that still hasn’t been renewed. “We’re seeing more houses being foreclosed because people can’t make ends meet,” Coun. Mary Nelson said. “That hurts our revenues down the road. That hurts our businesses, which are quite heavily taxed. Unfortunately, we just can’t offer a lot of relief for the businesses.”
The town has implemented a wage and hiring freeze, but without federal and provincial grants for a new $13-million water treatment plant, people would have had to boil their drinking water. About $60 million in spending is forecast over the next few years. The review sought from the Department of Municipal Affairs involves looking at governance, finances, infrastructure and services to determine whether changes are required for the community to remain viable. Local residents — the population is thought to have dropped from 4,319 people in the 2011 census — get a vote if councillors support dissolution, which could see Grande Cache become part of the surrounding Municipal District of Greenview. “Council believes the town’s financial situation in 2016 is sustainable,” says information on the civic website, which indicates a dozen other Alberta villages and the town of Swan Hills are undergoing or have completed similar reviews. “Looking into the future, with the anticipated reduction in assessment and expected/unexpected capital requirements to maintain the town’s infrastructure, we anticipate the town will be in an increasingly unstable financial position.”
Financial problems grew over the years because money wasn’t put away to replace infrastructure and user fees didn’t cover service costs, the website says. A public meeting is scheduled June 27, but Nelson is concerned Grande Cache won’t be able to survive as an independent municipality. “As is, our town cannot financially operate much longer without serious, serious cuts or serious tax increases.”
gkent@postmedia.com
As Advertised in the Calgary SUN
Northwest Alberta coal town could dissolve over lack of funds


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Grande Cache Coal (GCC) is an Alberta based metallurgical coal mining company, recently aquired by Winsway and Marubeni. Grande Cache Coal's experienced team of coal professionals is managing mining operations that produce metallurgical coal for the steel industry. GCC holds coal leases covering over 29,000 hectares containing over 300 million tonnes of coal resources in the Smoky River Coalfield located in west-central Alberta.

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