NEW COAL MINE TO OPEN

Chronicle (Levin), 11 April 1949, Page 5

NEW COAL MINE TO OPEN

■ • Press Assoeiaiipa)

Plans For Tappuig Big West Coast Seasn

• (Per

GREYMOUTH,' April 11. ■The Government Has aut|\orised the opening of another- maj oi; coal inine on the West Goast, to b£K deyeippga and-worxe.d ip cqnjupction syith .th,e Uiyerpppl gta'tp jnine Rewanui, which has been the West pop,$o'§" biggest' pro'ducer- of. high-, grade coal'Ior over 30 years. • • Leading offipers pf the State, Mjne^ D.epartin-ent are meeting ip bppference^at'Greymputh today tp plan the'wprk of opening the new ini'ne, which' will tap weji over . 1,000,000 tons of coal . at the squth end pf the Uiyerppql seq-n}, arqa yrhieh i^.as npt been tpuched in thg existipg wpVking^""" ' " ' " The deyejopmental woykj W^iQh is expeeted tq si^rt as spopi as the necessary plant is assemdled, will myolvp two stone drives each over 2000 feet long, "which will give aecess to. three "s.eparate seams p.f coal. Ttiese seams have been proved by ooring which' nas been gping on -at Rewanui for over three years. The' drives will enter the mountain from a point near the Rewanui rajlway station. - The intake drive, through whiclj the railroad will be laid, will emerge at the back of the existing R,eiyanui bins. The existing bins and spreenr ing plant will be utilised for the new mine at the sanie time as work cqptinues at ' the Liyerpool mine. New buildings required will include a modern bath house, air compressor ■ and fan hbusings. ' It is not yet khown how many m-en «will be employed in the mine workings, as this will depend upph the progress of the develpprrieqtai work, which "is expeeted tp bpgm with the Galling of tenders fpr the two stone drives.