Coal mining in Saskatchewan
Coal has been mined in Saskatchewan ever since the 1850s when it was used as a source of heat for the early Pioneers in the treeless Great Plains. Today, coal is still mined in Saskatchewan, but it is primarily used to generate electricity. History In 1857, John Palliser found coal during his expeditions across southern Saskatchewan. The first farmers in southern Saskatchewan also noticed this coal and burning it for heat. During this period, there were no commercial mines; instead farmers would collect coal from exposed seams on the edges of riverbanks and hillsides, or dig small, shallow "gopher hole" mines in their own fields. By the 1870s, the first commercial coal mines were dug underground along the banks of Willow Bunch Lake. This coal was used for heating, and also for industrial purposes. Underground mines were used in Saskatchewan until 1956. Most of the underground mines were abandoned after their closures, and the numbers of abandoned mines are estimated at 100 around Estevan, 200 around Wood Mountain, and 60 around Shaunavon. In 1882, the first coal exports from Saskatchewan occurred. Coal from Roche Percee was loaded onto barges on the Souris River, and was sent to Winnipeg to be