OPEN-CAST GOAL MINING

Press, 10 November 1983, Page 29

OPEN-CAST GOAL MINING

Coal mining and the West Coast have long been synonymous. The Webb open-cast mine, shown on this page, is on the site of the largest reserve of bituminous coal in New Zealand. The mine, which is some 1000 metres above sea level, covers more than seven hectares. This year, more than 250,000 tonnes Qf coal will be extracted. This is a high-grade, coking variety, most of which will be exported to Japan. The Webb mine was originally an underground mine. Although open-cast mining began in 1940, the present scale of work did not begin until September, 1980. To get at the coal, an overburden of more than 30 metres of sandstone had to be blasted and removed. The recently completed contract with Downer and Company was for the removal of 2,040,000 cubic metres of overburden. This should open the way to some 850,000 tonnes of coal. An aerial cableway, which has been operating in the area since 1953, carries the coal to a depot just north of Granity. From there it is carried by rail to Lyttelton for shipping abroad. The thickness of the coal seam beneath the overburden is 10 metres, a depth considered impressive by world standards. About 30 people work on the mine, the largest open-cast mine on the West Coast.