Mining Industry Activity in Nova Scotia, 1995

Table of Contents

• Mining Industry Expenditures
• Mining Leases
• Mining Permits
• Production Information from Mines, Quarries and Other Operations
  • Metal Mines and Gold Mines
  • Coal Mining Operations
  • Industrial Minerals Mining
  • Aggregate Resources

List of Tables

• Table 1.1 Mining Industry Expenditures In 1994 and 1995. (7 Kb)
• Table 1.2 Mining Leases Issued In 1995. (3 Kb)
• Table 1.3 Mining Permits Issued In 1995. (4 Kb)
• Table 1.4 Summary of Nova Scotia Mineral Production, 1994 and 1995. (14 Kb)
• Table 1.5 Metallic Mineral Production for the Calendar Year 1995. (5 Kb)
• Table 1.6 Coal Production For The Calendar Year 1995. (10 Kb)
• Table 1.7 Industrial Minerals Production For The Calendar Year 1995. (22 Kb)
• Table 1.8 Secondary Mineral Manufacturing for the Calendar Year 1995. (6 Kb)
• Table 1.9 Aggregate Materials Production For The Calendar Year 1995. (40 Kb)

Mining Industry Expenditures

Investment by the mining industry in Nova Scotia is monitored by means of annual surveys of all companies having operations or activity in the province. Aggregate producers are not included in this survey. The surveys are carried out by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (NSDNR) jointly with Natural Resources Canada (Minerals and Metals Sector - Minerals and Mining Statistics Division), and Statistics Canada (Investment and Capital Stock Division). The Mines and Energy Development Division of NSDNR actively participates in the Annual Survey of Canadian Mineral Exploration Expenditures and the Annual Survey on Exploration, Development, Capital and Repair Expenditures. For the 1995 survey year, information has been compiled based on responses from 22 exploration companies and 12 mining companies, together with estimates for an additional three exploration companies. Information reported is based on the companies' fiscal years ending in the 12 months prior to April 1, 1996. Preliminary figures for 1995 (Table 1.1) indicate a modestincrease in exploration expenditures and mine development expenditures from 1994. Exploration diamond-drilling showed a moderate increase in 1995 over 1994. Expenditures at existing mines for both capital improvements and repairs showed declines in investment levels compared with 1994.

Table 1.1 Mining Industry Expenditures in 1994 and 1995. (7 Kb)

Mining Leases

There were two Mining Leases issued during the year (Table 1.2). Thorburn Mining Limited was issued a Special Mining Lease for coal at Thorburn, Pictou County, and the Canadian Salt Company Limited renewed its Mining Lease for salt at Pugwash, Cumberland County.

Table 1.2 Mining Leases Issued in 1995. (3 Kb)

Mining Permits

During the year, four Mining Permits were issued, (Table 1.3), one for gold to Dufferin Resources Inc. and three permits for coal to Thorburn Mining Limited, Thomas Brogan and Sons Limited, and Black Gold Enterprises Limited.

Table 1.3 Mining Permits Issued in 1995. (4 Kb)

Production Information from Mines, Quarries and Other Operations

In 1995, the estimated total value of Nova Scotia's mineral production, including secondary mineral processing and crude petroleum, totalled $595 million (Fig. 1.1), a decrease of 9% from the year before. This decrease was due largely to a 30% drop in coal shipments, owing to geology-related production problems at the Cape Breton Development Corporation's Phalen Colliery, the province's largest coal mine. Excluding petroleum, the value of Nova Scotia's mineral production totalled $411 million, down 8% from 1994. Employment in Nova Scotia's mineral industry remained about the same as in 1994, with approximately 4300 persons employed (Fig. 1.2). However, as a result of significant restructuring at the Cape Breton Development Corporation, the province's largest mining employer, significant employee reductions are expected in 1996-97. Historical trends in the value of Nova Scotia's mineral production are shown in Figure 1.3. Although petroleum is included in the overall value of Nova Scotia's mineral production,this appendix focuses on the non-petroleum sectors of the industry (Table 1.4), providing a description of each mine site. Tables 1.5, 1-6, 1-7, 1-8 and 1-9 provide more detailed information on production of different commodities. Site locations are shown on the accompanying maps, Figure 1.4 and Figure 1.5. Production data are for the calendar year 1 January 1995 to 31 December 1995.

Table 1.4 Summary of Nova Scotia Mineral Production, 1994 and 1995. (14 Kb)

Figure: (Not presently available)
Figure 1.1. Value of mineral production by commodity group.

Figure: (Not presently available)
Figure 1.2. Employment by mineral commodity group.

Figure: (Not presently available)
Figure 1.3 Historical trend of the value of mineral production in Nova Scotia, 1984-1995.

Figure: (Not presently available)
Figure 1.4 Locations of coal mines in Nova Scotia.

Figure: (Not presently available)
Locations of industrial mineral operations in Nova Scotia.

Metal Mines and Gold Mines

Metal Mines There were no producing metal mines in 1995.

Gold Mines

In 1995 there was one active gold mine in the province. Dufferin Mines operated from January to April, at which time operations were suspended pending a re-evaluation of the operating plan by the company. Dufferin Resources Inc.

During 1995, Dufferin Resources developed a small underground mine and mill (Table 1.5). Ore was mined from January to April; however, operations were suspended following a corporate decision to re-evaluate the operating plan for both the mine and mill. The site remained in a care and maintenance status for the remainder of 1995.

Table 1.5 Metallic Mineral Production for the Calendar Year 1995. (5 Kb)

Coal Mining Operations

During 1995, there were two underground coal mines and six surface coal mines operating in the province. Table 1.6 summarizes production information for the coal mines. The summaries below give brief details of the underground and surface coal mines operating in Nova Scotia.

Table 1.6 Coal Production for the Calendar Year 1995. (10 Kb)

Underground Coal Mines CAPE BRETON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

The Cape Breton Development Corporation is a federal Crown corporation that operated two underground coal mines in Cape Breton County during 1995.

Phalen Colliery

The Phalen Colliery, near New Waterford, Cape Breton County, commenced production in 1987 in the Phalen Seam. The coal is extracted by the mechanized retreat longwall method. Coal was mined from No. 7 East longwall panel and No. 2 Center longwall panel. Development work centred on the development of No. 8 East and No. 9 East panels for future production. A major weighting accompanied by a fall of ground interrupted production on No. 7 East panel from mid-November to year-end. A block of coal remaining in No. 2 East panel was recovered to offset lost production in No. 7 East.

Prince Mine

This mine is located at Point Aconi, Cape Breton County, in the Hub Seam. The coal is extracted by the mechanized retreat longwall mining method. Coal was mined from No. 13 West longwall panel and No. 14 West longwall panel. Development work centred on completing No. 14 West panel and the development of No. 15 West and No. 16 West panels for future production.

Surface Coal Mines

EVANS COAL MINES LIMITED

Following the closure of underground operations in 1992, the Evans Coal Mine resumed operation as a surface mine at St. Rose, Inverness County. Production began in February 1993 from the No. 5 Seam crown pillar. In 1995, mining was carried out during the period from January to May and September to December. Mining proceeded in a southerly direction. Overburden and waste rock are removed by blasting or ripping with bulldozers. Material is loaded and hauled using hydraulic excavators and dump trucks. Extensive underground workings were encountered during the coal extraction process.

PIONEER COAL LIMITED (Westville, Pictou County)

Mineable reserves at the Westville, Pictou County, site were exhausted in May 1994 and backfilling of the site was substantially completed during 1994. In 1995, reclamation of the site continued with an emphasis on revegetation of lands south of the Drummond Road. The company continued to recover coal from the Drummond dump and operated a 100 ton/hr. (90 tonnes/hr.) heavy media wash plant. Coal from the Westville wash plant, Evans Coal Mine, and Thorburn Coal Mine were combined to produce a saleable product.

THORBURN MINING LIMITED (Thorburn, Pictou County)

Mining commenced at the Thorburn site in June 1995 on the McBean Seam following the salvage and demolition of old buildings associated with the historic underground mining operations. Coal is recovered from the crown pillar and from pillars remaining from the underground mine. Overburden and waste rock are removed by ripping with bulldozers. Material is loaded and hauled using hydraulic excavators and dump trucks. Also in 1995, the Two Foot Seam was explored for mining potential; however, difficulty removing overlying hard sandstone made this seam of coal unattractive. Other than a planned shutdown in July and August, mining continued to the end of the year.

CAPE CRUSHING COMPANY LIMITED

The company operates a small open-pit coal mine at Alder Point, Cape Breton County. Coal is mined from the Upper and Lower Bonar Seams using small scale excavating equipment.

BROGAN MINING COMPANY LIMITED

The company operates two open-pit coal mines in Cape Breton County. Coal from both operations is blended to produce a saleable product. At Sullivans Creek, coal is mined from the Sydney Main Seam. The company completed Phase I of the mining project in 1994 and has substantially reclaimed that portion of the site. During 1995, the company commenced work on Phase II (south of Sullivans Creek). Overburden is removed using a dragline, while waste rock coal is mined using bulldozers, excavators and dump trucks. Mining continued on the Sydney Main Seam at Toronto Road; however, mining operations were moved north due to boggy conditions encountered in the southern portion of the reserve block. During road development, another coal seam was exposed. Further exploration revealed that this was the Stubbert Seam. The Stubbert Seam was mined to shallow depths along the outcrop and backfilled.

BLACK GOLD ENTERPRISES LIMITED

The company commenced operations to recover coal from an abandoned rail bed in the Springhill area. A small, portable wash plant was installed and the associated facilities to handle waste and saleable products were constructed. The wash plant operated from November to December and was shut down for the winter.

Industrial Minerals Mining

Industrial minerals form a significant part of the total mineral production in Nova Scotia. Eighteen industrial mineral companies operating at twenty-four sites produce gypsum, salt, anhydrite, limestone, barite, dolomite, clay and shale, silica sand, peat, and dimension stone. Table 1.7 summarizes production information. Additional information about secondary manufacturing is given in Table 1.8. Numerous aggregate producers, operating in both granular and bedrock deposits, supply the provincial market. Three companies, Martin Marietta Materials Canada Limited (formerly Construction Aggregates Limited), Lafarge Construction Materials (Division of Lafarge Canada Incorporated) and S. W. Weeks Construction Limited supplied aggregate to the export market in 1995. Table 1.9 provides additional information on aggregate production.

Table 1.7 Industrial Minerals Production for the Calendar Year 1995. (22 Kb)

Table 1.8 Secondary Mineral Manufacturing for the Calendar Year 1995. (6 Kb)

Table 1.9 Aggregate Materials Production for the Calendar Year 1995. (40 Kb)

Industrial Mineral Activity Highlights Overall, 1995 was another good year for the province's industrial mineral producers. The value of industrial minerals production, including secondary mineral processing, totalled $243 million in 1995, an increase of 6% from 1994's figure of $230 million. Gypsum shipments, although down from 1994's record year, remained strong in 1995 with 6.8 Mt being shipped, mainly to wallboard plants along the US Eastern Seaboard. Nova Scotia is Canada's top gypsum producer, accounting for approximately 80% of the country's annual total. Cement shipments were up more than 20% in 1995 over 1994, owing to demand for the Fixed-Link Project. Salt shipments rose 17% in 1995 over 1994 as the province's largest salt producer, The Canadian Salt Company Limited of Pugwash, Cumberland County, was once again able to take advantage of mine closures or suspensions elsewhere. Porcupine Mountain Quarry, formerly owned and operated by Construction Aggregates Ltd., was sold in October 1995 to Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., of Raleigh, North Carolina.The quarry will now operate under the name 'Martin Marietta Materials Canada Ltd.' and has reported stone reserves of more than 630 million tonnes.

Gypsum and Anhydrite

DOMTAR GYPSUM

Domtar Gypsum operates a quarry at MacKay Settlement, Hants County, where mining is carried out by a contractor. The gypsum is calcined at the company's plant in Windsor, Hants County, where plaster products are produced.

FUNDY GYPSUM COMPANY LIMITED

The Fundy Gypsum Company operates quarries and crushing plants in the Wentworth Creek and Miller Creek areas near Windsor, Hants County. In 1995 the company produced gypsum from its Miller Creek quarry and both gypsum and anhydrite from the Wentworth Creek quarry. Some of the Wentworth Creek ore is processed in the company's heavy media plant to separate anhydrite from gypsum. The gypsum and anhydrite are transported by unit train to ship loading facilities at Hantsport, a distance of 12 miles (19 km). These products are transported to wallboard and cement plants in the United States.

GEORGIA - PACIFIC CORPORATION

Georgia - Pacific Corporation operates a gypsum quarry at Sugar Camp, Inverness County. Gypsum produced from the Sugar Camp quarry is transported by truck to ship loading facilities at Point Tupper, Richmond County, a distance of 12 miles (19 km).

LITTLE NARROWS GYPSUM COMPANY LIMITED

Little Narrows Gypsum Company Limited operates two gypsum quarries and one anhydrite quarry near Little Narrows, Victoria County. All the gypsum and anhydrite produced is shipped from the company's dock on the Bras d'Or Lakes to destinations in Canada and the United States.

NATIONAL GYPSUM (CANADA) LIMITED

National Gypsum (Canada) Limited operates the largest gypsum quarry in the province at East Milford, Halifax County. The gypsum is transported by unit train from Milford to Wright's Cove, Dartmouth, a distance of 28 miles (45 km), where it is loaded on ships for points in Canada and the United States.

NOVA CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED

There was no production from this quarry at Brierly Brook, Antigonish County, in 1995.

Salt

THE CANADIAN SALT COMPANY LIMITED

The Canadian Salt Company Limited mine is located at Pugwash, Cumberland County. A room and pillar system of extraction is employed using trackless diesel and electric equipment. Primary production was from drifting on the 1000 Level. Secondary production was from the 730 Level and the 830 Level. The processing plant produces industrial grades of salt, blocks for farm use, and refined salt for domestic consumption. Transportation is either by road, rail or from the company-owned ship loading facilities at Pugwash.

SIFTO CANADA INCORPORATED

Salt has been produced from a solution salt mine at Nappan, Cumberland County, since 1947. Salt is recovered from brine using a 'mechanical vapour recompression evaporating process' system.

Barite

E-Z-EM CANADA INCORPORATED, NYSTONE DIVISION

No mining took place at the barite deposit located 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Brookfield, Colchester County. During 1995, previously stockpiled barite was trucked from the quarry to the company's plant at Debert where it is upgraded to a pharmaceutical quality product. Refined products are then transported to the parent company, E-Z-EM Corporation, New York, USA, for further processing and packaging.

Limestone and Dolomite

LAFARGE CANADA INC.

Lafarge Canada Inc. operates limestone quarries at the Brookfield plant site and at Manganese Mines, 6 miles (9 km) northeast of Truro. Their cement manufacturing plant is located 3 miles (5 km) west of Brookfield. The total production from the quarries is used to produce cement.

MOSHER LIMESTONE COMPANY LIMITED

Mosher Limestone operates quarries near Upper Musquodoboit, Halifax County. The company produces agricultural grade dolomitic limestone in its grinding plant at Upper Musquodoboit. The product is bagged or supplied in bulk for distribution throughout the Atlantic Provinces.

SHAW RESOURCES, A MEMBER OF THE SHAW GROUP LIMITED

Shaw Resources produces marble intermittently from a quarry site at Marble Mountain, Inverness County. This stone is used for brick manufacture and in landscaping projects.

RIDGE BROKERS LIMITED

The company operates a small quarry at Southside, Antigonish Harbour, Antigonish County. No mining activity was recorded in 1995, other than shipping limestone from existing stockpiles.

SCOTIA LIMESTONE LIMITED

The company owns a limestone quarry at Kellys Cove, near New Campbellton, Victoria County. The Kellys Cove quarry is operated by Mosher Limestone Limited to produce agricultural grade dolomite. During 1995 there was no mining activity but dolomite was shipped off-site from existing stockpiles.

KELLY ROCK LIMITED

The limestone quarry in Glen Morrison, Cape Breton County, began production in 1993. The company produces several products at the on-site milling facility. In 1995 the company began construction of a secondary and tertiary processing plant and a large limestone drying facility.

Clay and Shale

SHAW BRICK, A MEMBER OF THE SHAW GROUP LIMITED

Shaw Brick mines clay from pits at Lantz, Milford and Shubenacadie, all in Hants County, and shale from a quarry in New Glasgow, Pictou County. These materials are used in the company's plant in Lantz for the manufacture of bricks and other structural clay products.

Silica Sand

SHAW RESOURCES, A MEMBER OF THE SHAW GROUP LIMITED

Shaw Resources produces silica sand from a deposit at West Indian Road, Hants County. This sand is processed into several silica sand products including glass grade sand.

Dimension Stone

HERITAGE MEMORIALS LIMITED

The company periodically operates a small quarry at Nictaux West, Annapolis County. The grey granite is used as dimension stone at the company's memorial manufacturing plant at Windsor, Hants County.

WALLACE QUARRIES LIMITED

The Wallace Quarries, located near Wallace, Cumberland County, continued to supply building stone for major building rehabilitation work in Halifax and central Canada. Blocks of stone are sent for cutting to processing facilities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec to supply local markets.

Peat Moss

ANNAPOLIS VALLEY PEAT MOSS COMPANY LIMITED

The company uses vacuum harvesters to recover agricultural peat from a 500-acre (200 ha) bog located near Berwick, Kings County. Baled peat products are shipped to markets in Canada, the United States and Japan.

Aggregate Resources

Production information for crushed stone, sand and gravel is summarized in Table 1-9. Crushed stone production was reported from 24 operations in 1995. Total production was in the order of 7.5 million tons (6.8 million tonnes). In 1995, approximately 300 persons were employed in the production of crushed stone. In 1995, approximately 50 producers employing roughly 280 persons, reported sand and gravel production in the province. Total production reported, which includes production by the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Communications, was 4,433,208 tons (4 021 778 tonnes).

About the Mineral Resources Branch

• Home Page
  
• What's New
• Organization Chart
• Staff List
• Core Library
• Registry of Mineral and Petroleum Titles
• Regional Geologists
• How to Find Us
• Nova Scotia Location Maps

Publications, Maps and Digital Data

• Assessment and Property Reports Information
• Assessment and Property Reports for Free Download (PDF)
• Digital Products
• Publications and Maps Information
• Publications and Maps Database (NovaScan)
• Geoscience Maps for Free Download (PDF)
• Land Use Information
• Newsletter
• Mineral Policy for Nova Scotia
• Release Notice

Geology, Minerals and Mining Topics

• Advantage Nova Scotia
• Mineral Exploration Activities
• Mining Activities
• Mining Matters Conference
• Mineral, Mining and Geology Topics
• Virtual Field Trip
• Related Links

Upcoming Events