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Conuma to reopen Western Canadian met coal mine idled since 2013

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Conuma to reopen Western Canadian met coal mine idled since 2013

Conuma Coal Resources Ltd. announced it will restart operations at the Willow Creek metallurgical coal mine that was idled by its previous owner in 2013 — the latest in a string of reopenings for the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund Inc. subsidiary.

Conuma bought the Brule, Wolverine and Willow Creek mines, all in British Columbia, from a Walter Energy Inc. subsidiary in September 2016. The Brule mine resumed operations soon after the purchase, while the Wolverine mine reopened in January 2017, though it faced a hiccup due to transportation issues as it began to ramp up production.

According to the coal producer's website, the mine has the capacity to produce 1.2 million tonnes of mid-volatile hard coking coal and 750,000 tonnes of low-volatile pulverized coal injection product per year. The Willow Creek operation also includes a coal processing plant and a rail load-out facility.

A Canadian National Railway Co. executive said in February that coal is making a comeback in Canada, highlighting moves by Conuma to ramp up these mines. In contrast with the U.S., Western Canadian coal producers benefit from a number of different coal export terminal options on the Pacific Ocean.