'50 mln-odd tonnes of coal' still in Pike mine: Whittall

'50 million-odd tonnes of coal' still in Pike River mine: Peter Whittall

Nov. 25 (BusinessDesk) – Pike River Coal Ltd. representatives have allowed themselves to speculate on the commercial future of the mine for the first time since Friday last week, when the first of two massive explosions ripped through mine, leaving 29 miners presumed dead.

While reluctant to discuss the issue at this stage, Whittall pointed to examples of other mines he’d worked at where there had been fatal explosions in the past.

"But if the roadways are open there's still 50-odd million tonnes of coal there," Whittall told a media briefing. "The roadways are probably in good condition. No doubt there's been a lot of damage to a lot of equipment but at this stage that's just not what we're focusing on."

The Pike River board will meet tomorrow for a preliminary discussion about the way forward for the company and initial look at the “impairment of the asset,” said chairman John Dow. “We do have to keep the lights on, and we do have to keep the company running,” said chairman John Dow.

Further details were likely after tomorrow’s board meeting.

(BusinessDesk)

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