Minister confident on Mt Davy impact

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33974, 15 October 1975, Page 2

Minister confident on Mt Davy impact

(From Our Oim Reporter) GREYMOUTH, - October 14.

The Minister of Mines l(Mr Colman) said in (Greymouth last night that he did not foresee any difficulties in meeting the recommendations iof Environmental Com(mission on the mining of Mount Davy coal.

■ He said the favourable nature of the report was a ■ further step in the development of the project. ;l Of the concern expressed J that the percentage of coal ! !recovered was far less than, ithat left, behind, the Minister ’said that he had been told by] his advisors that the planned! 1 1sale of 74m tonnes was a, ■ sound proposition. ■ “it is a fact of life in min-1 :ing that a certain amount has.

to be left in pillars for safety purposes.” he said.

The chairman of West, Coast resources, Ltd (Mr D.j O. Walker), had had discus-j isions with Mr Colman and! the Minister of Energy Re-! sources (Mr Freer) last week: [on conditions pertaining to ■ the mining and selling of the coal, and further discussions! were planned with depart-i mental officials. However.; there was no issue outstanding that hall not been covered.

A team of Japanese experts would visit New Zealand next month on a technical mission concerning the Mount Davy coal.

Mr Colman said it was too early to say how the coal would be exported, but agreed that the monomooring system for direct export loading from the West Coast would be cheaper, if practicable. Even if the coal was railed to the East Coast, the Greymouth Harbour Board would not lose since the Mount Davy coalfield was on harbour board land, and royalties would accrue.