M Wrote:
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> Pardon my ignorance, but what does a sawmill use
> coal for?

The "sawmill" is more accurately described as a paper mill, and that requires large amounts of electrical power and heat. You either buy it from the local power company, or make your own. In this case, they run their own coal fired power plant. This reference may be helpful:

[www.sourcewatch.org]

FYI, the mill has been sold to a different Canadian company, Catalyst, and is no longer an Abitibi operation. The mill uses recycled newsprint as a major raw material source.

Curiously, in addition to the coal fired power plant for the mill, there is a newly constructed biomass power plant co-located with the Catalyst mill that accepts waste paper fibers along with wood chips.

[www.renegy.com]