Athabasca Minerals Inc. (AMI) announced that the Province of Alberta issued it a disposition for the Coffey Lake Public Pit (Coffey Lake) and a surface material lease that allows for the extraction of sand and gravel. The authorization, given Jan. 13, enables AMI to commence with activities to open aggregate operations at Coffey Lake to the public.

The Coffey Lake Public Pit is located on 828 acres of land, 56 miles from Fort McMurray and 28 miles from Fort McKay in the heart of oil sands major industrial operations. Coffey Lake is the sequel to the province’s Susan Lake Public Pit which AMI operated and closed in 2019 after 20 years of operation. AMI’s pit management contract with the province for Coffey Lake is 15 years.

“We are pleased to proceed with opening the Coffey Lake Public Pit to serve the needs of local industry, infrastructure projects and contractors,” says CEO Robert Beekhuizen. “The annual demand for aggregates in the Ft. McMurray region is considerable, which past production from the Susan Lake Public Pit demonstrated over 20 years. Coffey Lake is able to satisfy this demand as an important supply source, as well as expand the availability of specialty products. We look forward to bringing Coffey Lake Public Pit into operation this year with best practices, creating economic benefit for the local community and demonstrating our commitment to environmental sustainability.”

AMI will begin with clearing and stripping activities immediately to achieve the goal of opening aggregate operations in the second or third quarter of this year. AMI has already awarded a clearing contract to Shott Earthworks Inc., a local Indigenous Fort McKay Contractor. 

For more information about Coffey Lake Public Pit, AMI has launched a website www.coffeylakepit.ca.