Officials with Atrum Coal met virtually with High River town council Friday to provide some background on exactly what their plans are on the eastern slopes.

CEO Andy Caruso says the company doesn't just mine the coal and leave citing his work in the southwest of Australia which he called a "pristine environment.

"It not only espouses but achieves high levels of sustainability and regrowth of forests that can be returned back and used for lumber and used for restoring wildlife areas as well," Caruso says.

He told councillors that the entire mining industry is being more environmentally conscious because frankly, it has to.

"It's (the industry's) sustainability and livelihood is going to be dependent on its ability to demonstrate to communities and to stakeholder that they can successfully reclaim and rehabilitate site that have been disturbed," Caruso says.

Chief Development Officer Tony Mauro addresses one of the council's concerns, water and selenium.

"It is a natural occurring, non-metallic mineral that's found in rock, soil and water and it's mobilized when it comes in contact with, so when exposed rock or soils that are selenium bearing, come in contact with water and that water mobilizes the selenium and then it needs to be addressed," Mauro says. "So our project and everything we've been doing to date will prioritize maintaining water quality levels, which include selenium and nitrates at their natural levels.

He says their plans have never called for the release of untreated water but rather running them through two water treatment systems after which the water can be reused or released provided it's at surface water quality guidelines.

Councillor Bruce Masterman, a vocal proponent for fishing, hiking, and outdoor activities on the eastern slopes appreciated the Atrum representatives appearing before them but was still opposed to mining.

"I think it's really important that you realize, you would have some appreciation and understanding of what a sacred area that is to so many people, "Masterman says. "It's so important to us on a physical basis, a mental basis, spiritual basis, it's important to the people who make a living up there ranching and tourism operators, it's important for recreationists, it's really important to the downstream municipalities, not just in Alberta but Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well."

He says they just aren't willing to gamble on the future of the eastern slopes.

Masterman told Caruso and Mauro that he agreed with Mayor Craig Snodgrass that the coal companies had been sold a "bill of goods" by the provincial government and the area never should have been opened up again ad the government broke the trust it had with citizens who have shown overwhelming opposition to the idea of mining.

 

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