Donkin Mine

Donkin, N.S. February 28, 2017— It’s fuel for the economy as well as the history books.Coal mining began in the early 1700s in Cape Breton and lasted for more 250 years, but on Monday night the local industry was reborn at Kameron Collieries’ Donkin Mine.Jim Bunn, senior vice-president of operations for Cutlass Collieries and CAO at the Donkin Mine, said they had received all their approvals and permits, so production began at the mine Monday at 9 p.m.“It was dark, very windy and exciting.”Bunn said the coal was brought out through a conveyer belt.”Two years worth of hard work all led to this one moment. It was very exciting.”He said the amount of coal brought out is still to be determined and the total amounts in the future will depend on demand. He wouldn’t speculate on how much coal will not be brought out each day.“The daily amount will depend on demand and our customers.”Paul Vining, CEO Cline Group, said they are pleased that after two years of hard work and planning by their employees, supportive constituents and the Nova Scotia government, coal is being produced again in Cape Breton.“This Cape Breton coal is some of the highest quality thermal and metallurgical coal in the world and we look forward to strategically marketing this product both domestically and internationally,” he said in a press release.Vining said in the first few quarters production will be limited but production will increase over time.“This is good news for the community and as production ramps up so will employment at the mine.”The coal will be trucked through a privately owned haul route to be built through a partnership with the province of Nova Scotia and significant investment from Kameron Collieries, to minimize impacts on the local community. The route will include an area along the former railbed behind Glace Bay — south of Dominion Street — to the Sydney airport.Digging up some facts.• In 2014 and early 2015, Cline Group LLC gained full control of the Donkin Mine after purchasing a 75 per cent majority stake in the operation from Glencore Xstrata PLC and 25 per cent interest from Morien Resources Corp.• The Donkin Mine is owned by Kameron Collieries, a Halifax subsidiary of Cutlass Collieries LLC, a Cline Group Company.• There are 64 people employed at the mine. An estimated 135 are expected to be working at the mine in the future, some hires this year, and some in 2018 and into 2019.

Hermoso lugar... soy mecanico de maquinas pesadas... me encantaria trabajar alli en su equipo!

Drove by here recently. This mine is the easternmost point on the contiguous North American paved road network (counting private roads like this; the Trans-Labrador Hwy. has several hundred km of unpaved sections.) The easternmost public road is to the south (Baleine Community Park" at that little monument to famous aviator Beryl Markham who landed in the cove there in 1931 (first solo east to west Trans-Atlantic flight.)"

Got lost in the mine for 12 hours but was eventually able to escape