New Zealand and coal

Coal mining
The New Zealand coal mining industry produced 5.77 million tonnes in 2006. The major mining operations are centred on the Waikato region, the West Coast and Southland. 2.29 million tonnes was produced from Waikato mines, mostly for supplying the Huntly Power Station, which consumes over 1.9 million tonnes a year and the Glenbrook Mill of New Zealand Steel, which consumer approximately 800,000 tonnes a year. Other than that, coal is consumed in the dairy processing industry, cement production, meat processing industries, timber processing and hospitals.

"Exports of bituminous coal, produced entirely from the West Coast, reached 2.61 million tonnes in 2006. New Zealand coal is exported mainly to India and Japan, with smaller quantities going to Chile, South Africa, Brazil, China, USA and Australia. Most exports are of coking coal, with smaller amounts of thermal and specialist coals. The Pike River mine is being developed for coking coal exports, with first production expected in 2008," Crown Minerals, the government agency with oversight of mining reported.

Operating Coal Mines
The bulk of coal mined in New Zealand is extracted by Solid Energy from the largest coal mines in the country. As of August 2007, there were 45 operating coal mines, with those producing over 100,000 tonnes a year being :


 * Huntly East, sub-bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Kopako, sub-bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by Glencoal Energy
 * Rotowaro, sub-bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Boundary, sub-bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by MacDougall Mining
 * Spring Creek,	bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Spring Creek Mining
 * Stockton, bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Roa, bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Roa Mining Co
 * New Vale, lignite coal from an opencast mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Wairaki No. 6, sub-bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Solid Energy

Mar. 6, 2005: Save Happy Valley Coalition occupation of Solid Energy headquarters
On March 6, 2005, four Save Happy Valley Coalition activists locked down at the corporate headquarters of Solid Energy in Christchurch, New Zealand, in protest of Solid Energy's plans to build a coal mine in Happy Valley. Supporters hung banners and pitched tents on Solid Energy's property. The occupation came one day after Solid Energy sued three activists for defamation.



Aug. 13, 2005: Save Happy Valley Coalition coal train blockade
On August 13, 2005, a group of 25 Save Happy Valley Coalition activists and allies blockaded train tracks leading from Solid Energy's coal mines to the port of Lyttelton, New Zealand, in protest of Solid Energy's plans to build a coal mine in Happy Valley. Two people locked themselves to the tracks, while a third suspended himself from a tree 100 feet in the air, attached to a support rope that was tied to the tracks. Four Solid Energy trains stood on the tracks for five hours, while police cleared the blockade; the company claimed in court that the blockade cost them $150,000. The three blockaders were arrested.

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Coal moratorium
 * New Zealand Mining Industry Association
 * Genesis Energy
 * Solid Energy

External Articles

 * The Coal Association of New Zealand, "New Zealand", World Coal Institute website, undated, accessed June 2008.
 * International Energy Agency, "Coal in New Zealand in 2005", International Energy Agency website, accessed June 2008.
 * U.S. Geological Survey, New Zealand 1994-2006

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