Bathurst awaits green light to mine in Buller district

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Australian-based Bathurst Resources could begin open cast coal mining in the Buller district by the end of the year if its 24 resource consent applications - due to be heard on June 7 - are granted.

The split of 98 submissions reveals 51 per cent in favour compared with 41 per cent opposing the applications.

Dual-listed Bathurst has permits for a 200ha site in the south of the Denniston plateau in the Buller district in the West Coast of the South Island.

It wants to initially mine 650,000 tonnes of premium hard coking coal, move to one million tonnes a year by 2013 and then two million tonnes within 12 months - with a three decade lifespan.

Bathurst has lodged 16 resource consent applications with the West Coast Regional Council and eight with the Buller District Council, which the councils publicly notified. Public submissions closed in October.

Bathurst managing director Hamish Bohannan said yesterday he was pleased with the majority supporting the project, and claimed even the majority of opposers supported the proposal in concept, but with conditions on their area of interest.

"We've got enormous support locally for this brown field site ... with plenty of work opportunities in the wake of the Pike tragedy," Bohannan said yesterday.

He said Bathurst, as an open cast mining specialist, had no interest in making a bid for the closed Pike River Coal mine where 29 workers lost their lives last November, saying State-owned enterprise Solid Energy was better placed to consider reopening the underground operation.

Most of Denniston plateau coal was premium hard coking, with some semi-soft coking coal, both of which commanded top prices as key ingredients in steel making, for emerging economies such as China and India.

Opposition to Bathurst's West Coast plans includes the Historic Places Trust, former Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board, Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae, plus numerous individuals.

Supporters include several businesses, mining and energy companies, permit issuer Crown Minerals, Westport Harbour and individuals.

For the six months to December, Bathurst spent A$43.5 million on its West Coast project. It later booked a loss for that period of A$15.56 million, but gained A$114.2 million in funding and held A$72.8 million in cash at reporting time.

Three independent commissioners will conduct a hearing in Westport beginning on June 7 to consider the applications for consents under the Resource Management Act. The hearing is expected to take up to three weeks and a decision expected about three weeks later.

Bohannan said should resource consents be approved, and land access arrangements be finalised, including a concession from the Department of Conservation, he anticipated Bathurst would be able to start work on its "escarpment mine project" late this year.

However, that was provided there were no appeals to the commissioners' decision, or any appeals were resolved, Bohannan said.

- Otago Daily Times, NZPA