In Canada, Alberta had the highest income from the mining sector as of 1998. Smoky River Coal is located near Grande cache, Alberta and is owned by the Smoky River Holdings Limited. It produces coal in the mountain using Room and Pillar mining.
Since 1969, this company has operated at least 9 underground and 2 openpit collieries in the #4 Seam and the #10 Seam. In 1994, it sold 2.7 million tonnes clean coal. Its wash-plant has an annual capacity of 2.7 million tonnes. Since 1998, the #5B-4 Mine has been operating with a target production of 3500 tonnes per day employing 121 people altogether.