Developments at Crown Mountain coal mine

Following a successful drilling and exploration programme that revealed better than expected coal occurrences, the junior resources company, Jameson Resources, has taken a number of steps to advance the Crown Mountain metallurgical coal mine.

The Crown Mountain project is in the Elk Valley coalfield in British Columbia and next to the Crows Nest coalfield. Out of 23 producing coal mines in Canada, five are located in these two coalfields, with a production rate of 23 million tpa.

As Jameson looks to develop the Crown Mountain project, the company has applied for an additional coal license with the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM). The Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) identified potential sites for surface facilities that would support mining operations, including potential for a wash plant, refuse and soil disposal areas, shops and offices. Jameson has recently been assigned a tenure number for its application for this additional mining license.

The area that has been identified for development is not expected to contain significant, if any, additional coal resources, meaning that its main purpose would be to support future mining activity, the company said in a statement.

A request for proposal (RFP) has been sent to several consulting houses as Jameson hopes one of these will perform a prefeasibility study (PFS) on its Crown Mountain project. Proposals are due on 25 November; with an award date set for the first half of December. The company is looking to commence PFS before the end of 2013.

The company has also released figures regarding in-seam ash. For the north block, in-seam ash averages 17% lower in 2013 (26.6%) than was assumed in 2012 (31.9%). The figures for ash content are based on the results of three large diameter core (LDC) hole results in the north block. The results for in-seam ash content in the south block of the project will be released as and when the figures become available, the company said.

The company was also pleased to report that the climate monitoring station has been received and will be installed shortly. Wildlife studies are also progressing, and the project remains on “a fast track.”

Adapted from press release by Sam Dodson

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/mining/07112013/developments_at_crown_mountain_coal_mine_236/