The Genesee Mine operates under a licence from the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and Alberta Environment.
Sherritt operates the Mine, which is owned through a joint venture partnership with Capital Power.
The Genesee Mine licence includes a comprehensive land reclamation plan, including the re-establishment of wetlands and natural creek bodies, and the development of wildlife corridors. The plan also includes topics such as soil recovery and management of noise, dust, surface water and groundwater.
In 1992, EPCOR was awarded the Alberta Chamber of Resources Ammonite Award for reclamation excellence. The tradition of innovation continues today.
Current reclamation activities include:
- The live root topsoil transfer pilot project.
- Wetlands management.
- Re-establishment of creeks and drainage channels.
- Incorporation of wildlife corridors.
- Planting trees along shelter belts.
- Establishment of dugouts.
“Capital Power is a temporary steward of the land and we take pride in using industry-leading practices to ensure the land we disrupt is reclaimed equal to or better than how we started with it,” said Terry Aronyk, who has been responsible for land management at Genesee.
“Reclamation at Genesee is a diverse and complex process,” Terry continued. “You don’t just remove the soil, extract the coal and put the soil back. You must consider agriculture, residential use, waterways, reforestation, wildlife habitat, government expectation and community commitments.”
As mining transitions to the West Field, new reclamation practices are being introduced. In addition to incorporating the research and practices used in the East Field, land reclamation in the West Field will focus on more multi-purpose end-land use.
“We foresee this to include more wetlands and forest and creek re-alignment with some agricultural and pasture lands,” said Chris Barclay of Prairie Mines & Royalty.
Included in the preparations is the Genesee Mine Marsh Reclamation Research Project. The two-year study involved Capital Power, the University of Alberta and Sherritt, which operates the mine at Genesee.
“Energy corporations are a complex mix of valuable service to society and costs to the environment with the very best companies continually seeking to not only maximize social benefits but minimize social costs,” said Lee Foote, Professor of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta. “Landscape features such as wetlands, forests, lakeshores and wildlife habitat are one way to give something valuable back to society.”
The study involved the proper structuring and contouring of mined land, transplanting of suitable marshland soils into controlled plots, and detailed monitoring, testing and documentation.
“The results were successful and the processes learned will be used at Genesee to ensure the diversity of the land at Genesee is guaranteed,” said Terry.
How does land reclamation work at Genesee?
The first stage of land reclamation begins before dirt is turned. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) begins up to a year in advance of when mining commences.
Site preparation occurs at the second stage. Trees are removed and what can be salvaged is sold to local logging companies. The topsoil is removed, packed and shaped, followed by the subsoil layer which is collected and conserved. After the mining takes place, both materials are replaced.
The third phase is the mining itself. Clays and glacial tills are removed to get to the coal. Draglines, the primary earth moving machinery at the mine are used to uncover overburden. Coal is mined and processed at the power plant. Ash from the power plant returns to the mine where it serves as fill.
At the fourth phase, rebuilding begins. The mined areas are filled with returned subsoil, and a naturally occurring phenomenon known as “soil swell” – where the land expands 15% after it has been disturbed – allows for original elevations to be preserved. Compaction gradually lowers elevation uniformly across the distributed area so that drainage patterns are maintained.
True reclamation occurs at the fifth stage – although its success depends on advance planning and soil conservation practices from the beginning of the project’s life. After the area settles and drainage patterns have been restored, ice and water are allowed to filter through the landscape and “deep dripping” occurs. This helps remove air pockets and provides for fine leveling of the surface before topsoil is spread out. With that, the land is readied for its post-mining function.
The largest challenge in the process is to make agricultural land, which depends on achieving certain slope classifications and good drainage. At Genesee, land reclamation involves re-contouring mined areas and ensuring they are covered with good quality subsoil before the topsoil is replaced. Recontouring operations are specifically designed to ensure that water drainage will enhance the various land uses.
The planning process is essential to meeting these challenges. Considerable thought is given to where soil should be placed so the original drainage corridors may be re-established.
Quality reclamation work requires a team environment. With the Genesee project, the team has grown well beyond the two companies involved in the mine. Project staff at Capital Power work closely with end users in the community and with researchers at the University of Alberta.
Reclaiming land
This picture represents the five-phase process that Genesee goes through to prepare, mine, rebuild, and reclaim the land.
What will future land uses look like at Genesee?
The surrounding area of Genesee Generating Station is a mixed-farming and cattle-producing community, and coal mining represents only a temporary use of the land before it is reclaimed.
Older reclamation practices focused on returning the land to agricultural use. Although up to 70% of the land was farmland prior to mining, community stakeholders are now taking part in a review looking at additional end use and management options, including the development of wetlands, the building of shelterbeds, and the preservation of native plants and animals.
Bio-diverse research has been conducted by the University of Alberta in two main areas, a live root transfer project, which is examining a different way of moving topsoil such that roots within the soil are re-established faster, and a wetlands project which is developing differentiated ways of handling the soil and maintaining water levels for optimal reclamation.