OPEN CAST MINES

Grey River Argus, 18 May 1944, Page 4

OPEN CAST MINES

Survey of Development 2,000 TONS DAILY PRODUCTION SOON.

P.A, WELLINGTON, May 17. The commencement next month of the open cast coal mining at Waitewhena in Taranaki is expected to bring the total output by this method in New Zealand to 2,000 tons daily, or one-sixth of the Dominion’s coal supply by the end of the year. There are now thirteeen open cast pits in production or in the course of development. Six more have been proved and are in the preliminary stages. Further projects are being investigated. „ TT The Mining Controller. (Mr. C. H. Benney) says that since the beginning of the year, 15,000 tons were produced from open cast pits. The daily output at present is roughly 400 tons and will be doubled within the next two months. The coal has proved to oe up to the standard of the same coal worked by underground methods, ana, the information obtained to date m-' dicates the cost will be much less than in the ordinary underground mines. Systematic search is being conducted by the Mines Department for additional areas, with special men engaged on work in the Waitewhena, which is about 12 miles from Ohura on the Stratford main trunk line. It is expected to produce far more cotn than other open cast mines already in operation but the larger cut being formed in Burke’s Creek-Morrisvale area is expected to exceed it shoilly .