Coal resources at the 23,000-hectare tenement previously totalled 93Mt.

A recent drilling program also increased inferred resources at the site by 706% to 605Mt of coal.

Resource estimates are NI 43-101 and JORC-compliant.

Coalspur chief executive and managing director Gene Wusaty said the resource would enable the developer to expand growth plans beyond previously announced programs.

“This substantial resource increase confirms that Vista South has the potential to become a future mining operation,” he said.

“This adds another exciting growth opportunity to our pipeline of projects.”

The company says as Vista South is only 6km southwest of the Vista site, access to already planned mining infrastructure will enhance overall project economics.

Coalspur is applying to the Alberta government for exploration permits for an additional 22-hole program at Vista South and expects to receive approval by June.

“The next drilling campaign will commence shortly and is expected to prove up the continuity of the deposit and upgrade the existing resource classifications on the property,” Wusaty said.

“The additional activity will build on the exploration drilling completed to date which has helped to determine the targets for future exploration.”

The resource increase at Vista South brings Coalspur’s total measured and indicated coal to 1700.1Mt (2034Mt inferred).

The Vista thermal coal project has the potential to be the largest export thermal coal mine in North America, covering approximately 9984ha.