Cypress mine
Encyclopedia
The Cypress mine is a proposed extension to the open cast coal
mine the Stockton Mine
’s operational area, to the east into the Upper Waimangaroa Mining Permit area, on the West Coast
of New Zealand
.
In 2005, Solid Energy
, a state owned enterprise owned by the New Zealand government, was granted resource consent
for the mine after an unsuccessful appeal to the Environment Court
.
Save Happy Valley Coalition (SHVC), an environmental organisation, opposed the mine and occupied land adjacent to the proposed mine site for two years. SHVC say that the mine will cause acid mine drainage
, destruction of habitat of endangered species and result in 12 to 14 million tonnes of CO2
emissions.
Solid Energy's Environmental Report 2007 stated that the mine is planned to start in 2008. Solid Energy has stated that the mine will be developed in 2010 and that the first coal is expected to be taken in late 2011.
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mine the Stockton Mine
Stockton Mine
Stockton Mine, on the Stockton Coal Field, is New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation. The entrance to the mine is at the former settlement of Stockton....
’s operational area, to the east into the Upper Waimangaroa Mining Permit area, on the West Coast
West Coast, New Zealand
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
In 2005, Solid Energy
Solid Energy
Solid Energy is the largest coal mining company in New Zealand and is a state owned enterprise of the New Zealand Government.The company was formed from the former government department State Coal Mines. It was then established as a state owned enterprise called Coal Corporation in 1987, and...
, a state owned enterprise owned by the New Zealand government, was granted resource consent
Resource consent
A resource consent is the authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act . Some activities may either be specifically authorised by the RMA or be permitted activities authorised by rules in plans...
for the mine after an unsuccessful appeal to the Environment Court
Environment Court of New Zealand
The Environment Court of New Zealand is a specialist court for planning permits and environmental issues...
.
Save Happy Valley Coalition (SHVC), an environmental organisation, opposed the mine and occupied land adjacent to the proposed mine site for two years. SHVC say that the mine will cause acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage , or acid rock drainage , refers to the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines. However, other areas where the earth has been disturbed may also contribute acid rock drainage to the environment...
, destruction of habitat of endangered species and result in 12 to 14 million tonnes of CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions.
Solid Energy's Environmental Report 2007 stated that the mine is planned to start in 2008. Solid Energy has stated that the mine will be developed in 2010 and that the first coal is expected to be taken in late 2011.
External links
- Solid Energy - Cypress mine information
- Save Happy Valley Coalition