Cheviot mine gets go-ahead

After a long wrangle over permitting, Fording Canadian Coal Trust (FDG.UN-T) and partner Teck Cominco (TEK-T) have decided to put the Cheviot coal project, near Hinton, Alta., into production.

The partners have submitted a mine licence application to the Alberta government; both the Energy and Utilities Board and the provincial environment ministry are involved in the approvals.

The Cheviot pit is proposed to produce 1.4 million tonnes of coal annually at initial production rates.

The project was highly controversial, facing opposition from wilderness-preservation groups for five years before being approved in 2001. Fording put the project on hold pending improvements to world coal markets.