Developments In The Peace River Coalfield Northeast British Columbia
Authors: Matheson A. 
Published: March 2010

Introduction

In response to a rapidly growing steel industry in Japan and to an increasing extent in Korea, coal production in British Columbia has risen from 773,000 tonnes in 1969 to 11,690,000 tonnes in 1981 (Fig. 1). The production figures for 1981 show coal running a close second in value, only to copper. As a result of escalating prices and predicted diminishing supplies of petroleum and natural gas, a renewed interest has been taken in coal as a source of thermal energy.

The existence of coal in the Peace River country was first noted around 1800 by Alexander McKenzie. Mining commenced in 1908 and continued intermittently until 1964 with approximately 90,000 tonnes produced at 4 small mines on the Peace and Pine Rivers for local use.

The main production in the province during this period, however, was from the Vancouver Island Coalfields and the Crowsnest Coalfield. Since 1970, companies operating in the Crowsnest Coalfield have built up the constantly increasing trade with Japan, primarily in metallurgical coal. About 15% of the production is now sold as thermal coal.

The coals of the Peace River generally are similar to those of the southeastern coalfields, and vary from a high volatile " A" bituminous to a low volatile bituminous with some semi-anthracite. About 20% of the northeastern coal will be used for thermal purposes. Whereas the major portion of current exports go to Asia with minor quantities to Europe, North and South America and Canada; the entire initial production of exports through Prince Rupert will be destined for Japan, commencing in 1983 (Fig. 2).

Major exploration in the foothills of the Northern Rocky Mountains did not commence until the latter part of the 1960's due mainly to inaccessibility and access to markets. Since 1969, exploration has taken place, predominantly on the Sukunka and Quintette properties. In late 1972, a moratorium on the issuance of coal licenses was declared which lasted until February 10, 1978. In 1974 the license boundaries were re-draughted onto petroleum and natural gas grid system, and reassigned in northeastern British Columbia. Since the lifting of the moratorium, a substantial number of licenses were applied for and granted throughout British Columbia. These trebled in area over the subsequent two years, and reached a total for the province of one million hectares in 1980 (including freehold). Since then the figures have dropped to 580,000 hectares in licenses and 160,000 in freehold, bringing the total area under steady exploration to 740,000 hectares, of which 422,617 hectares is in the Peace River Country.

Geology (Fig. 3)

The Peace River coalfield of northeastern British Columbia is exposed along the Rocky Mountain foothills; it is some 600 kilometres in length and varies from 20 to 30 kilometres in width. Nearly all the coal licenses, however, lie between the Peace River and the Alberta border, as the coal seams in the northern half appear to be thin and discontinuous.

The coal occurs in the Gates Member of the Commotion Formation, which overlies the Moosebar Formation, and, as well, in the Gething Formation which underlies this formation (Fig. 4).