Media Release

Research by Auckland University of Technology's Trace Element Research Group

Coal producer, Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd, which owns the Stockton Opencast Mine, near Westport, regularly monitors the water quality of the streams which take the run off from its mining operations on the Stockton Plateau.

Solid Energy says that these streams are not used for drinking water or for irrigation. Streams draining the plateau have naturally raised trace element concentrations due to the geology of the area, as well as historic and current mining activities.

Solid Energy adheres to all its resource management consents and actively works with its stakeholders, including the local community and local councils, to monitor and manage the quality of water discharged from the plateau.

Dr Anstiss's research is based on data collected six years ago. Since then the company and the local councils have made significant advances in the monitoring and management of water quality on the plateau.

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