Production At Roa State Mine Ceased Today

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 4

Production At Roa State Mine Ceased Today

In spite of having the biggest capacity coal bins in the Southern Hemisphere, the Roa State coal mine had to cease production today. .The 85 men employed there will now work only three days a week ,on non-producing jobs. ■ Because of its huge bins, which have a capacity of 6500 tons, the Roa mine has been able to work throughout the two weeks which have elapsed since the. flood carried away part of the Blackball rail and road bridge, over which Roa coal was transported for distribution. The Blackball mine had to cease production immediately, but the two adjoining mines are noW in a similar position with no more than three days’ work a week for any man. A roster has been drawn up at both mines for shiftwork until the Blackball bridge is repaired. Though the Roa bins have a capacity of 6500 tons of. coal, there is nowhere near ‘ this amount in storage there now. The bins were never fully used and could not, because of their relatively unsafe condition, be filled to capacity now. If this had been possible, the Roa mine could have continued producing for some time to three months, for its daily output is only 100 tons. The bins were built more than 40 years ago.