Media Release

Solid Energy committed to the long term future of mining at Rotowaro

10 February 2005

Solid Energy's Rotowaro Opencast Mine, near Huntly in the North Island, has to date felt little impact following last week's appointment of voluntary administrators, McGrath Nicol Partners, in Australia by contractor Henry Walker Eltin (HWE), says Chief Operating Officer, Barry Bragg.

"The administrator's representative in New Zealand is working to ensure that mining continues at Rotowaro and for Solid Energy and the local HWE staff it is business as usual. We are monitoring developments in Australia closely and putting in place plans to provide for continuity of mining at our Rotowaro operations, should the need arise.

Mining operations and coal supply to our customers have not been interrupted and, with initial work already underway at our mine's new Awaroa 4 opencast pit, Rotowaro may even break its own 2004 production record of 1.18 million tonnes.

We are confident of the significant investment we have made in the mine's planning and design, and in the recent upgrading of the private haul road from the mine to the Huntly Power Station conveyor belt. We have worked well with the local HWE staff and they have delivered good results in meeting our production targets."

Solid Energy's Rotowaro Opencast Mine produces coal for Genesis Energy's Huntly Power Station and other North Island industrial markets. Henry Walker Eltin Ltd has been contracted to remove the overburden (material above coal) and extract coal at the opencast mine since 1998.

For further information contact

Vicki Blyth,
Communications Director,
Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd,
Phone 03 345 6000, m
Mobile 021 670 250,
Email vicki.blyth@solidenergy.co.nz

Links referenced

vicki.blyth@solidenergy.co.nz: mailto:vicki.blyth@solidenergy.co.nz?subject=enqiry from your website

Location http://www.coalnz.com/index.cfm/1,209,479,0,html