Echo and Federation Mining field trip
A field trip this month (June) allowed attendants to get a close up look at operations at Reefton’s Echo coal mine, and Federation Mining’s development at its Snowy River site. The Minerals West Coast contingent travelled by van to Reefton and Echo coal mine was the first stop of the day. Echo sits in the Garvey Creek Coalfield (part of the Brunner coal measures), producing coal for export, which is taken by rail to the Lyttelton Port before being taken by ship to international markets.
Mine manager, Eamon Moynihan started the day by giving the Minerals West Coast visitors a run through of the history, development, and modern operations of the mine, followed by a visit to view the working pit.
Then visitors were shown the results of the rehabilitation efforts at the site, as well as the mussel shell reactor acid mine drainage treatment.
After travelling back through Reefton for lunch, Minerals West Coast travelled south to visit Federation Mining’s Snowy River site. Broken up into groups of three, each group was given a run through of the development of the site, and future exploration and mine plans, an explanation of the wetland water treatment system, and a walking tour of the tunnel development to date.
Photos of the underground development can be seen below.
RNZ Nights interview
Every ten weeks Minerals West Coast manager, Patrick Phelps, speaks to Bryan Crump (host of Nights on RNZ National) to discuss whatever subject relating to mining is topical at the time.
This month’s focus of conversation was where the mining history sits in the context of New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis.
Mining matter #10: Significant natural areas
In the same context, the latest installment of Mining Matters looks at the issue of significant natural areas – SNAs’ – on private land. This video can be watched in full below.
Meeting to approve merger of Minerals West Coast and West Coast Commercial Goldminers’ Association
As notified in Minerals West Coast’s May newsletter, a meeting will be held in July to confirm the merger of the West Coast Commercial Goldminers’ Association with Minerals West Coast. This amalgamation was agreed to in principle at the annual general meetings of both respective organisations in Reefton in September last year.
The meeting will be held at the Westland RSA on Wednesday the 14th of July, starting at 7:00pm.