Takitimu Mine

Takitimu Mine (commonly referred to as 'Nightcaps mine'), is an opencast sub-bituminous mine located near Nightcaps, Southland. The mine is owned and operated by Takitimu Coal Limited, a subsidiary of Bathurst Resources.

Project Details
Location: Near Nightcaps, Southland, approx 60km northwest of Invercargill Coordinates: -45.962159,168.03026 Coal field: Ohai Background: The mines at Nightcaps were the main source of coal in Southland until mines at nearby Ohai opened in the 1920s. In 2011, Bathurst Resources acquired the Eastern Resources Group (a subsidiary of Australian-based Galilee Energy), which at that stage owned the Takitimu mine. In July 2012, Bathurst announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Takitimu Coal Limited, had completed the strategic acquisition of property adjoining its operations at a cost of NZ14 million. As the Takitimu mine becomes exhausted it is being extended into the nearby Coaldale block on the newly purchased land to the west. Bathurst expects that this acquisition will see the production of 2 million tones of sub-bituminous coal. Current owner: Takitimu Coal Ltd, a subsidiary of Bathurst Resources Status: Operating Production capacity: Approx 150,000 tonnes/year in 2011 and 2012. Estimated recoverable reserves: Expected that the resource will be depleting in the fourth quarter of 2012. Some of the overburden from Coaldale will be placed directly into the exhausted Takitimu pit to begin the rehabilitation there. Mining technique: Opencast Type of coal: Sub-bituminous thermal Solid fuel calorific value (gross) 18.90 MJ/kg (Range for NZ coal 15.25–31.95 MJ/kg) Market information: Coal from the mine is used for local dairy and food processing plants, schools and hospitals. Environmental and/or health & safety issues:

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * New Zealand and coal
 * New Zealand Mining Industry Association
 * Solid Energy

External Articles

 * Hugh De Lacy, "Queensland invader", Q&M, Volume 5, No.1 February-March 2008.