Ohai mine

Ohai mine is an opencast sub-bituminous mine located near Ohai, Southland, New Zealand. It is owned by Solid Energy

Project Details
Location: Near Ohai, 80 km northwest of Invercargill at the base of the Takitimu Mountains in Southland Coordinates: -45.925065,167.95048 Coal field: Ohai Background: The current opencast pit has been mined previously using underground methods. The opencast mine was closed in June 2009 and a three year rehabilitation project commenced. In 2011, however, Solid Energy announced that it had discovered approximately 50,000 tonnes of coal, which it planned to recover over a two-year period. The company’s 2012 Annual Report announced that 35,000 tonnes had been obtained in that year. Current owner: Solid Energy Status: Recovery and rehabilitation Production capacity: Estimated recoverable reserves: Mining technique: Opencast Type of coal: Lignite Market information: Environmental and/or health & safety issues: Objectives during the three-year rehabilitation programme are to stabilise the pit walls, extinguish an historic fire in the old underground mine workings and to ensure that the pit can hold water in the lake that will be created. In March 2012 Solid Energy announced that, following the termination of a contractor for potential high-risk health and safety incidents, its own staff would complete the rehabilitation project.

Related SourceWatch Resources

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