Beinfait coal mine
 Another name for coal is lignite. |
Coal comes from plant matter which has been buried for millions of years. Through heat and pressure it was converted into a fuel. When coal is burned energy is released. This energy is used to fuel power plants. |
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There are five coal mines in Saskatchewan. The coal mines are open pit mines. Four of the mines are in the Estevan area and one is in the Willow Bunch/Wood Mountain area. The dragline method is used to get the coal. The dragline is a large machine which weighs as much as 300 elephants. (see photo below) It removes the soil that covers the deposits of coal. The coal is then mined using machines called shovels. |
 coal mine at Beinfait in southern Saskatchewan |
 electric shovel loading coal, dragline in the background |
 loading coal onto a coal hauler |
| Coal-burning power stations are located at Boundary Dam (south of Estevan), Poplar River (near Coronach) amd the Shand power station (near Estevan). Some of the coal is shipped by rail to Ontario and Manitoba where it is used to generate electricity. |  loading a coal train (Images courtesy of Saskmining.ca) |