The option of open casting the Pike River coal mine remains on the table but will not be considered any time soon, the Government says.The West Coast mine has remained inaccessible since last month's explosions, which killed 29 men.Work is continuing to t
The option of open casting the Pike River coal mine remains on the table but will not be considered any time soon, the Government says.
The West Coast mine has remained inaccessible since last month's explosions, which killed 29 men.
Work is continuing to try to stabilise the mine and extinguish fires burning inside.
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee met with West Coast leaders yesterday to discuss the economic future of the region following the mine's closure, which has affected more than 250 jobs.
Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn said there was a good opportunity to save jobs by open casting the mine.
"The experts are telling us in recent days that this very much can be an open cast mine, the same as the open casting Stockton plateau," Mr Kokshoorn said.
Mr Brownlee said a stimulus package, to be announced next year, would most likely focus on creating new jobs, possibly by pushing forward other projects in the area.
He did not discount open casting the mine, which would involve removing about 150m of rock, but said he felt it was too soon to discuss it.
"While it's known to be 100 percent feasible, and Mayor Kokshoorn is right to say that, I think that is a very big consideration and we'd have to know a lot more about it," he said.
"Frankly, we're not ruling it out ... but I've got to say that is a very big consideration and certainly not something that would be looked at for implementation in the next 12 months I wouldn't think."
Mr Brownlee said such a move would not require the declassification of Department of Conservation (DOC) land.
"It is land that DOC have a relatively low classification on, but those are the sort of questions that need to be asked and answered. I think we're way ahead of ourselves getting to that at this point."
