Officials said on Monday the Hudson Bay area had been a significant coal exploration target for many companies since the discovery hole was made that resulted in a National Instrument coal resource estimate across several basins that included 79.2 million tonnes indicated and 33Mt inferred at what is known as the Border Property.

Just across the province border in Manitoba, another firm – Westcore Energy – intersected coal units with a thickness of up to 99 meters. Saturn Minerals also recently discovered a coal basin with two significant coal seams at an average depth of 100-110m revealing units up to 9.6m in thickness.

As work continues, NAG has retained Alberta firm Dahrouge Geological Consulting to oversee the Saskatchewan coal exploration work.

Dahrouge, officials said, had extensive previous experience in Western Canada Sedimentary Basin exploration and thermal coal development.

In addition to its interests in Saskatchewan, NAG also has coal properties in Kentucky and West Virginia.

Its Kentucky portfolio includes Bay’s Hollow, Gilliam Hill North, Swan Pond, Gillian Hill South, Granny Rose and Engle Hollow. In West Virginia, NAG acquired a 100% interest in Appalachia Coal and now holds 20,000 acres of coal leases in Preston County in various stages of permitting.