Initial surface mining at Grande Cache Coal Corporation (GCC) is concentrated in the No. 12 South B2 Mine. This area had originally been mined from 1998 to 2000. In 2003, the Energy and Utilities Board transferred the licence for this mine to GCC. In spring 2004, GCC upgraded the pit design of No. 12 South B2 to accurately reflect the economics of today's coal markets. Mining approvals were obtained in August 2004 and mining commenced immediately.

In October 2006, GCC announced the end of its relationship with North American Energy Partners (NAEP).  GCC initially hired NAEP on a contract basis to develop infrastructure for its No. 12S B2 Mine and No. 7 Underground Mine and to operate the surface mine through the initial high strip ratio phase of mining. When this stage of operation was completed (November 2006), GCC phased out NAEP's presence on site and started transitioning to an owner operated, appropriately sized surface mining fleet.

Mining equipment and components for the No. 12 South B2 surface mine began arriving August 2007 and surface mine operations are now underway.

The surface operations employ conventional open-pit mining techniques using truck and shovel methods. Similar open-pit mining techniques will be employed at the No. 8 Mine and No. 16 East Mine. Overburden is drilled and blasted with explosives and loaded onto large trucks by shovels and loaders and hauled to waste dumps outside of the pit. Once the overburden is removed, the coal is loaded onto trucks for transport to the coal processing plant. The coal processing plant employs rotary breakers to break the coal to a predetermined size and remove rock. The coal is then washed using a variety of techniques, dried and conveyed onto a clean coal stockpile. 

The geology is typical of the Rocky Mountains with significant folding and thrust faulting. Coal seam dips range from flat to almost 80 degrees. The mineable seams in No. 12 South B2 include: 4 Seam (avg. 6.8 m.); 5 Seam (avg. 1.6 m.); 6 Seam (avg. 1.2 m.); and 7 Seam (avg. 4.5 m.).