The money is intended to fund the Nature Conservancy of Canada and protect a 127-acre parcel of land located on the east shore of the lake known as Lot 48.

The area represents a key habitat for bighorn sheep, elk and a number of endangered species.

Teck Resources president and chief executive Don Lindsay said the area had great cultural and ecological significance.

“This investment will help conserve an important ecosystem in the headwaters of the Columbia River for the benefit of future generations.”

The land has important cultural values for the Ktunaxa First Nation which has used the area as a transportation route to the prairies for millennia.

“The east side of Columbia Lake is an integral part of Ktunaxa history,” Ktunaxa Nation chair Kathryn Teneese said.

“Lot 48 is a significant piece of the cultural landscape of that area, and the Ktunaxa Nation have continuously supported all efforts to conserve this area for future generations.”

Teck is the world’s second largest exporter of seaborne metallurgical coal, with five mines in British Columbia and one in Alberta

The miner’s largest markets in Asia have traditionally been Japan, Korea and Taiwan although China has recently emerged as a more significant importer.