Montem Resources provided Council an update on two mining projects during their latest council meeting.

Montem is currently working on a project at Tent Mountain and have also begun exploratory work on a Chinook project.

Manager of Environment and Community for Montem, Wade Aebli, says the tent Mountain Mine Feasibility Study is complete.

The next step is to complete work on the project application to the Alberta Energy Regulator.

The mine has valid mine permits in both Alberta and British Columbia covering valuable steelmaking coal reserves, and Montem is working with the regulators to obtain mining licenses which will enable the re-start of open-cut mining.

Montem has been approved to explore the Chinook project area as well.
The Chinook Project is located near Coleman and is made up of two areas, Chinook South (south of Coleman) and Chinook Vicary (north of Coleman).

Montem purchased the Chinook Project in 2016 and have completed analysis of historical data and are now ready to start new exploration.
The Coal Exploration Program (CEP) has been approved by the Alberta Energy Regulator for exploration drilling to begin on the Chinook Project.

Active exploration will begin late this summer and drilling will be ongoing in short campaigns over the next two years.

Access to trails will remain open.
Montem will be notifying stakeholders of the drilling plan and maps of active zones will be on display in the Community Engagement Centre.

Anyone interested in updates, can email Montem at info@montem-resources.com.

Once drilling activities are complete, rehabilitation of the land will take place in accordance with appropriate government guidelines.

Engineering and environmental studies are also underway and will guide the strategic development of the project.

Montem has also opened their Community Engagement Centre.

Due to COVID-19 there are currently limits on the number of in person meetings but Montem is open to having discussions.

Residents are welcome to drop by the Community Engagement Centre on 17th Street in Coleman to make an appointment or can email Montem to fi¬nd a suitable time to meet and learn more about their operations.

Council took some time to ask questions after the presentation.

Councillor Sygutek asked if Montem was still required to go through the Federal process for Tent Mountain and Aebli said that process was waved for them.

Councillor Glavin asked what the timeframe for each project would be and Aebli says each project is different.

"We're looking at probably about a 24-month timeframe to get Tent Mountain up and running. When it comes to the Chinook project, it's starting right from scratch. So that will need both a provincial and a Federal process and we're estimating a seven to 10 year timeframe for that."

Councillor Sygutek also asked how many jobs these mines will create.

Aebli says he doesn't have numbers for Chinook yet but that the Tent-Mountain numbers will vary.

"We're predicted to have about 200 jobs for the construction phase and then about 175 full-time employees once the mine is up and running."
Montem will update Council again in the fall.

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