Lake Area Drained to Get Coal

Chronicle (Levin), 20 January 1948, Page 8

Lake Area Drained to Get Coal

.AUCKLAND, Jan. 17. Iii less than u muntli aooin (iu,uUu,UU(. -gaiions of water have been "pumped otu of an area of 30 aeres at tlie soathern end of Lake Ivimitiia to which Ylu present open-cast mino is being extended. Tne area,' urider* which 50u,UUO ton.s of bituminou.s coai is estimated to iie in seanis up to 28ft. thick, was enctoseu by a strong stop-banic, apOOft long, to ward the end of last year.

Pumping started on JJecember 13 and was compieted at the end of last week. Twelve-inch centrifugal pumps capablt of inoving water at the rate of 2250 gallons a minute worked for 532 houi's. The worlt'was expedited to ailow the newly-uncovered lake bed to dry out thoroughiy in the hot Summer sun. Bub- ■ swiiary drains are being "made througii it and about six weeks of favourable weather will be needed before the ■ mine's huge electriealiy-driven shqye, can start working on it. The deptli oi oyerburden, or soii and elay whicn wili h'ave to be stripped from above the seams of coal, ranges from 40ft. to 70ft.

Pied stilts, seagulls and other birds yesterday were searching- the isolated pools left on the 30-acre area for smali hsh. Many old tree stumps have been revealed on the bottom of the lake, which is eomparatively new in geologi cal terms. Aiaori people have already made inquiries about the quantities of kauri gum which are believed to be in this" portion of the lake which is uear a point of land elose to the island from which good deposits were -recovered some years ago. It is expected that more gum will be found when the shovel starts working.