Business North March 2021

36 | Coal has role to play from page 34 The Rotowaro mine uses some of the largest equipment in New Zealand including 400-tonne excavators and trucks with 200-tonne payloads. MINING Bathurst Resources The coal is low ash, low sulphur thermal coal. Craig says that the high- quality sub-bitumi- nous coal is sought after by a number of in- dustries including steelmaking, dairy industry, meat works, timber processing plants, light industrial plants and horticulture. The mine employs some of the largest equipment in New Zealand including 400 tonne excavators and trucks with 200 tonne payloads. Currently at Rotowaro the Waipuna West pit is being mined, which will take operations through to around 2024. An extension of the pit is in the planning phase, which would potentially extend the mine until 2028. Nearby additional coal resources are currently being investigated which would give an additional 10 years mine life following this. Maramarua is an opencast mine located in the Waikato region and produces a low-ash, low sulphur thermal coal for the domestic market. It also has a long history of coal min- ing with an opencast mine first being devel- oped at the site in 1948. The current operation commenced in June 2015 with significant project capital being in- jected into the site infrastructure to establish operations. The current pit being mined will continue for three years and then operations will transfer to the pit being developed cur- rently which will have an additional six years supply. Craig says that the biggest customers for Maramarua’s coal are steel manufacturing, electricity generation and local dairy plants. He says that mining sustainably is a major focus as the company’s license to operate is dependent on this. “We are judged on our last rehabilitation results. It’s how we’re mining the coal that matters. All our mines are planned for closure before they even open. The aim is to rehabilitate the area to leave it in a better environmental condition than when we arrived. We work closely with local iwi and other stakeholders to ensure this happens because respect for the environment is a core value for us. It’s non-negotiable.” THE OTR TYRE SPECIALISTS Experts in OTR tyre repair, OTR tyre maintenance, OTR tyre management & consulting and OTR tyre training for the mining, ports, civil construction, quarrying, agricultural & heavy industrial sectors. We offer 24/7 callout and servicing NZ wide - International enquiries welcome. george@globaltyres.co.nz dennis@globaltyres.co.nz +64 21 0278 7089 +64 21 207 8607 www.globaltyres.co.nz PO Box 495, Drury 2247 GTS Tyre Repair Facility, 431 Glenbrook Rd Kingseat RD4, Pukekohe 2679 Auckland 8666_CSP_NZ_Ad_257x100mm_OL.indd 1 9/3/21 11:00 am Mine rehabilitation - page 38