State to Open New Coal Mine

Chronicle (Levin), 13 April 1949, Page 9

State to Open New Coal Mine

GREYMOUTH; April TU i The Governmeht has hqthqrisfedvthe opening of anothet major cpal mine onthe West Cpas't to be detelqppd and worked in conjuhctioh with the Liverpool State mine at Rewanui, whieli has been the' W est> Coasfc 's - big: gest producer of high grade -'coal fbl' over. 30 years. • '.. . • .. , ,, •/. Leading offleers of th^ "State. Mines Departmeht are meeting in OonfOtence at Greymouth today to plan the -work of opening the hew mine> wi>ieh will tap well over 1,000.000 tdiis of coal at the.south end of the Literpool. aeam in an area which has not .been touched in the existing workings. The- devel* opment work. which is ' expected to start as soon as the. neeessary plant is assembled, wili inyolve two stone drivers, each over 2000 f'eet_ lohg, which will giye access to three separate seams of coal. These. seams were proved by boring, , Which has /been, going on at Rewanui for oyer three years. , - / The drives will enter the raoUntain from a point near the Rewanui raih way station. The intake drive through which a rope road - will Be -laid will emerge, at the back of the existing Rewanui bins. The existing bins and the screening plant will be utilised for the' new mine at the same time as work continues at thp- Lirerpopl. mine. - The new buildings .required will ihclude a modern- bh^hhouse, air .coinpressor and fan housingsC It is xiot ^et known ho w tnapy men will be emV ployed in the new ;workings, as- thi3 will depend upoh the. 'pfogres's pf .the deveibpment work, which - Is .expected. to begin witli the catlihg of tdnders .ior the two stone driy^s. . /■