nichepoetryandprose

One of the best things about ‘biking’ a new section of road every time I exercise is – I never know what theme is going to suggest itself …

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8-15  February 12, 2014   30 minutes  (Jacquet River to Culligan)

8-16   February 16, 2014   35 minutes (Culligan to Belledune)

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This session of virtual touring took me to Belledune.  The area is quite industrialized, since it is the site of the Xstrata Zinc Canada Brunswick Smelter  …

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and the location of the Belledune Thermal Generating Station …

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The smelter is a primary lead smelter and refinery.  Its air emissions are controlled by various process-specific pollution control equipment including a scrubber and baghouse facilities.

The 450 MW (megawatt) generator burns coal and has a ‘scrubber’ to help remove sulphur dioxide emissions. At the present time, there are only two thermal generating stations still operating in New Brunswick. Most of the rest of our power comes from hydroelectric and nuclear stations; we also have some wind power.

I studied the air emissions of both the thermal generating station and the smelter at Belledune.

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At first glance, this industrial activity in a mostly rural area may seem out-of-place.  However, the smelter and generating station use the Port of Belledune.  This is a world-class deep water port in the Baie-des-Chaleurs with year-round cargo handling ability.   The port, one of Atlantic Canada’s most successful, offers a gateway to North America.

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In the midst of all this industrial activity, in my search for paintings to represent my ‘travels’, I chose images of the rural landscape …

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an old barn with red doors …

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February 21, 2014 ‘barn along the bay’ Jane Tims

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and a barn near a huge Mountain Ash, its red berries magnificent …

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February 22, 2014 ‘red berries – Mountain Ash’ Jane Tims

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims