|
Estevan is in the southern part of Saskatchewan near the border with North Dakota. It has a population of just over 10,000. We passed through it every summer on our way to and from Ontario, and what I saw always fascinated me. Although farming and ranching take place in the region, Estavan has long been a coal mining centre; the first coal mine in the region opened in 1891. Many farmers have used coal mining income to help them establish their farms. Originally the coal was mined from underground, from shafts reaching some 30 metres deep. Surface mining begaan in the 1950's, and today two companies remove coal entirely by surface 'strip' mining using giant draglines. About 12 million tonnes of coal are removed annually. Oil and gas production is also a major industry in Estevan; there are over 6000 oil and gas wells in the area.    For decades, the processed surface material, (once all the coal was removed), was dumped in piles around the mines. Hundreds of these hills (called 'tailings') dot the landscape around Estevan; many of them have since grown over with vegetation. |