Spring Creek Underground Mine
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The Spring Creek mine was an underground coal mine near Dunollie, north of Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.
The mine, which was owned by Solid Energy, was placed into “care and maintenance” in September 2012. It then closed in 2017.[1]
Location
The map below shows the approximate location of the now-closed mine.
Background
Spring Creek coal was used by industrial customers in New Zealand and exported to steelmakers through Lyttelton Port of Christchurch".[2]
Between 2007 and 2011 the mine was operated through a joint venture with Cargill, which bought a 49% stake in the project.[3] Solid Energy then resumed full ownership of the mine. [4] In its 2011 annual report Solid Energy stated that in November 2010 production at the mine had to be suspended to allow for the implementation of a comprehensive safety programme. Production during 2011 fell by 24%. Development work resumed in February and extraction in May 2011. During 2011 $19 million of capital expenditure was put into Spring Creek. The company stated that it was "planning for a future extension west into the Rapahoe East mining area." [5]
In August 2012, however, Solid Energy announced that, because of “extremely challenging market circumstances” operations at Spring Creek would be suspended pending a review.[6] In September 2012, Chairman, Mark Ford, announced that Spring Creek would be closed because it had not been profitable for some time and had lost more than $100 million. Staff numbers would fall from about 254 to 32.[6] In addition, up to 130 contractors’ jobs would be affected.[7]
Closure
Solid Energy attempted to sell the mine in 2015 and 2016, but no potential buyers progressed beyond an initial appraisal. As a result, a decision was made to seal the mine; however, possible future development wasn't ruled out.[8]
In July 2020, Terra Firma Ltd filed an application with the Government agency NZ Petroleum and Minerals to reopen the Spring Creek Mine, however, this application was denied.[1]
Mine Details
- Operator:
- Owner: Solid Energy
- Location: Dunollie, near Greymouth, West Coast of New Zealand's South Island
- Coordinates: -42.388029,171.263366 (approximate area only)
- Status: Closed (2017)[1]
- Production Capacity: 45-70,000 tonnes per annum.[9]
- Coal Type: Bituminous (Metallurgical & thermal)[10]
- Mine Type: Underground
- Start Year: 1994
- Number of Employees: 230[6]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Laura Mills, "Govt not keen on reopening Spring Creek mine", Otago Daily Times, 18 October 2022.
- ↑ Solid Energy, "Spring Creek Underground Mine", NZ Coal & Carbon website, accessed March 2012
- ↑ Cargill, "Cargill to acquire 49-percent shareholding in New Zealand coal mine", Media Release, March 14, 2007.
- ↑ Solid Energy, "Solid Energy resumes full ownership of Spring Creek Underground Mine", Media Release, February 2, 2012.
- ↑ Solid Energy, "Annual report 2011", Solid Energy, page 25.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Solid Energy, "Solid Energy responds to very tough market", accessed October 2012
- ↑ The Press "Solid Energy axes hundreds of jobs", accessed October 2012
- ↑ Annual Report 2017, Solid Energy, Archived from the original on 27 January 2018, Accessed May 2023.
- ↑ Solid Energy, "Spring Creek Underground Mine, accessed March 2012
- ↑ "Spring Creek Mine", Solid Energy website, Archived from the original on 27 January 2018, Accessed May 2023.
