Media Release

Solid Energy to resume work in the Rockies ridgeline at Stockton

Coal producer, Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd, will this week start constructing a 1-metre high silt fence on the ridgeline in the Rockies area of Stockton Opencast Mine, in preparation for mining high value coal in the area in early December.

The 270-metre fence will protect surrounding bush from any silt that might be washed down slope of mining activity. The adjacent slope, running down through the Stockton Coal Mining Licence boundary into adjacent Department of Conservation (DoC) land, is gentle and as a result construction of a rock fall protection barrier will not be necessary in this area.

Overburden was stripped in the Rockies area of the mine more than two and a half years ago. Coal mining was suspended for a time while public consultation over ridgeline mining took place. Completion of coal extraction in this area in 2006 will allow a 4 hectare area of the mine to be backfilled and rehabilitated.

The Rockies area is about 1 km north of Mt Augustus, the location of giant land snails.

For further information contact:

Vicki Blyth Telephone: 03 345 6000
Communications Director Mobile: 021 670 250
Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd

Location http://www.coalnz.com/index.cfm/1,209,628,0,html