Bathurst Resources has cleared another hurdle in its struggle to start coal mining on the Denniston Plateau near Westport but still needs the blessing of courts and faces tough market conditions.

If Meridian Energy had already floated, it's a fair bet that its share price would have dropped after the Opposition unveiled its electricity policy a week ago.

It was "insane" for a New Zealand-born mine worker to smoke in an underground coal mine in Queensland, a New Zealand coal mining industry boss says.

When people like the PM talk of an orderly transition to a post-smelter environment, they are talking about the scrapping of generating capacity, writes Brian Fallow.

Former Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder will pocket more than $250,000 from the indebted state-owned miner while he remains on its payroll for another four months.

Prime Minister John Key this morning released documents detailing Solid Energy's ambitious expansion plans.

Mr Palmer and former Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder made their highly anticipated appearance before Parliament's commerce committee this afternoon to answer questions about what led to the company's near collapse under $389 million in debt. Dr Elder told the packed committee room that the company's recent problems were down to a "perfect storm" of unprecedented coal price falls last year and the strong Kiwi dollar. He said it wasn't just New Zealand coal companies that were feeling the brunt of a drop in the price of coal, but US companies were also in serious trouble. He said the situation with Solid Energy needed to be looked at within an international context. Dr Elder offered an apology to workers on the West Coast who lost their jobs.

Former Solid Energy chairman John Palmer has told MPs he opposed the Government's 2009 direction that the state owned coal miner take on more debt.

Former Solid Energy boss Don Elder has confirmed he will go to Parliament to answer questions about the company's problems.

The former head of Solid Energy has been called to front up to a parliamentary committee to answer questions on the failing coal company after opposition was dropped.

Officials are investigating a proposal which could lead to the Pike River mine being turned into an opencast coal pit stretching into a national park.

Solid Energy is in crisis, with a Government bailout almost inevitable, mine closures possible and further job cuts likely in another restructure to try to salvage it.

Twice in the past decade, Solid Energy has enjoyed revenue close to $1 billion, and aside from last year has returned some healthy profits - and dividends for the Government.

Solid Energy, the state-owned coal miner whose chief executive quit this month, is in talks with its banks because of its deteriorating financial position.

Having a middleman able to absorb the criticism and stay immune to the moral and emotional elements of the Pike tragedy makes sense politically, writes Gerard Morris.

Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder received $1.1 million for the year to June 30 - the same year Solid Energy lost $40m and axed a quarter of its staff.

Solid Energy is largely to blame for the "dumbing down'' of mining industry standards that allowed the Pike River disaster to happen, MP Damien O'Connor says.