NEW COAL FIELD AREA NEAR REEFTON TO

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24903, 17 June 1946, Page 4

NEW COAL FIELD AREA NEAR REEFTON TO

BE OPENED From Our Own Reporter REEFTON, June 16. Coal from a new field at Garvey’s creek, seven miles from Reefton, will be available as soon as communications by road with the main prospecting drive are completed. The field is situated on the banks of the Inangahua river, and is within easy distance of the Reefton station. The venture has been the subject of extensive prospecting work by officials of the Mines Department. Mining experts have known of the field for many years, but the area which is being investigated will be worked as a virgin field of coal. Extensive prospecting work has been carried on and one seam of coal has been uncovered which is more than 50 feet wide. Trenching work was done near this seam, being carried up a hillside and along the top of the hill for a distance of one mile and a half. For the whole of the distance coal was seen. Four main drives were made during prospecting, the largest of which worked into a hillside for a length of one chain, revealing that more than half the length was solid coal. The side walls, floor, and roof are all coal

which inspection showed to be of good hard quality. Other drives show coal seams of varying width. Some of the coal may be mined by opens cast methods, but the majority' will have to be mined by driving methods. The field is located in rugged country which is heavily bushed, mostly in birch. This wood will provide splendid mining timber on the spot, and also part of the material for coal bins.

Present indications show that outcrop coal can be followed along the ridges fronting the Reefton-Maruia Springs main highway for a considerable distance, and it is expected that the field will prove to be a large one. The coal is of a different class from that usually mined at Reef ton, and it is considered that it will be an invaluable coal for producing gas. Samples tried in open fireplaces and kitchen ranges burned well, leaving little ash and provided bright, clean' fires.

Although coal could be produced immediately if a road was available for transport, officials emphasise that ft will be some time before there is any prospect of work for a large number of men in the area. At present a full staff is employed on driving and prospecting. Bins will have to be built and accommodation provided before coal can be produced in large quantities. The new field offers great possibilities. and the coal, of a high calorific content, is said to equal the best mined on the West Coast