The Department of Energy and Mines (DEM) has compiled digital layers of information indicating the location of underground coal mine workings in coal producing regions of Nova Scotia.

UNDERGROUND COAL MINE WORKINGS

Coal and coal mining have been significant contributors to the socio-economic development of Nova Scotia; moreover, the origin and early development of many towns and villages can be attributed to mining. There are coal mines in 7 of Nova Scotia’s 18 counties and more than 300 underground coal mines have operated since commercial mining began in Cape Breton in 1720. More than 400 million tonnes of coal has been mined in Nova Scotia’s surface and underground coal mines.

Over the course of Nova Scotia’s coal mining history the Provincial Government has retained administrative records and mine plans for most of the underground coal mines. In an effort to increase awareness of this information, the Nova Scotia Department of Energy and Mines (DEM) has compiled a map layer of information indicating the location of underground coal mine workings in coal producing regions.

This layer shows where underground coal mine workings exist, according to the records and mine plans on file at DEM. The highlighted areas were developed by drawing vertical projections from known underground workings to surface. However, the layer does not provide information such as the depth of the mine workings from surface, number of levels (seams) of mine workings (there may be multiple sets of workings stacked vertically), size of openings or the type of coal mine.

The accuracy of the mapping of the historical underground coal mine workings varies depending on the availability and quality of the original mine plans. It should be noted that any illegal “bootleg” underground coal mine workings have not been documented by the Department and are not shown on the layer. The layer is for reference purposes only and is not intended for detailed work, design plans or for the purposes of legal representation.

Users who require the highest level of detail are encouraged to review the mine plans on file at DEM. A review of the DEM Abandoned Mine Openings database is recommended as there are areas where documented coal related mine openings and associated workings exist, but they are not recorded on mine plans filed with DEM.