Anthracite Alberta.

Anthracite Alberta

My father Robert Alexander Girvan, and my Grandfather Ben Darby(dad was a coal miner for years; grandfather never was never a miner but he built the highways and bridges) had much to do with the coal mining; and much more of Alberta’s development and growth.

Anthracite, whose remains are by far the most elusive within the Banff National Park, embodies the narrative of the impact modern forces have on these living historical localities.

Millions of people each year driving on the TransCanada Highway unknowingly pass through the original Anthracite town site. This seemingly frivolous fact illustrates the change in attitudes toward the historical and industrial significance of Anthracite and other forlorn mining towns in Alberta. Unfortunately not much remains of the town anymore. Even though there are rumours of bridge and building foundations found within the area, I discourage you from trying to find these ruins. The heavy traffic on the highway throughout the year would be blocked by visitors stopping here and risking their own lives doing so. There are also real dangers entering fenced off forest, including rusted objects, wildlife, and other hazards associated with off-trail hiking. Let this article be your guide to Anthracite, and if you wish to know more, please contact Parks Canada before exploring the area.

The discovery of coal within the Cascade Coal Basin is the sole reason for the formation of Anthracite. George M. Dawson of the Geological Survey of Canada conducted a survey of the Rocky Mountains and published a comprehensive report in 1886 of the mineral resources available in what is now Banff National Park

Coal is used mainly for two purposes, for steel-making and power generation.  Coal is classified according to the degree of transformation of the original plant material into carbon, moisture content and composition.

 Coal is classified under the following categories:

Lignite: also referred to as brown coal, is the lowest rank of coal and used almost exclusively as fuel for electric power generation.

Sub-bituminous coal:  whose properties range from those of lignite, to those of bituminous coal, is used primarily as fuel; for electric power generation. This coal generally has a lower sulphur content than other types of bituminous coal, which makes it attractive for use because it is cleaner burning.

Bituminous coal: is black and sometimes dark brown, often with well-defined bands of bright and dull material.  It is used primarily as fuel in electricity power generation, with substantial quantities also used for heat and power applications in manufacturing and to make coke for steel making.

Anthracite coal: is a hard, glossy black coal that is used for home heating and steel making. Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of coal that has a submetallic lustre. It has the highest carbon content, the fewest impurities, and the highest calorific content of all types of coal; except for graphite and of course, diamonds-think around Hinton Alberta.