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Facts and Figures
Coal production statistics
New Zealand coal production in 2009 was 4.5 million tonnes, 7% down from 2008 production of 4.9 million tonnes. This is mainly due to the reduced production at our two largest producing mines, Stockton and Rotowaro, caused by operator staff strikes.
Production is centred in the Waikato (1.7 million tonnes), on the West Coast (2.2 million tonnes) and in Southland (0.5 million tonnes). Four underground and seventeen opencast mines were operating in 2009. Over 55% of national production was from two large opencast operations, at Rotowaro and Stockton.
- Operating Coal mines
- Coal production by rank 1998-2009 [47 kB XLS]
- Coal production by mining method 1998-2009 [44 kB XLS]
- Historic coal production by rank and method 1884-2009 [79 kB XLS]
Coal Production by Mining Method 1998-2009
Coal Production by Rank 1998-2009
Production by Rank and Region for 2009 (kt)
Area | Rank | Total | ||
Bituminous | Sub-Bituminous | Lignite | ||
Waikato | 0 | 1746.6 | 0 | 1746.6 |
North Island | 0 | 1746.6 | 0 | 1746.6 |
West Coast | 2085.5 | 151.0 | 0 | 2236.5 |
Canterbury | 0 | 29.0 | 0 | 29.0 |
Otago | 0 | 68.9 | 2.3 | 71.2 |
Southland | 0 | 222.7 | 257.4 | 480.1 |
South Island | 2085.5 | 471.6 | 259.7 | 2816.8 |
NZ TOTAL | 2085.5 | 2218.1 | 259.7 | 4563.3 |
Production by Mining Method and Region for 2009 (kt)
Area | Mining Method | Total | |
Opencast | Underground | ||
Waikato | 1380.7 | 365.9 | 1746.6 |
North Island | 1380.7 | 365.9 | 1746.6 |
West Coast | 1766.4 | 470.1 | 2236.5 |
Canterbury | 29.0 | 0 | 29.0 |
Otago | 71.2 | 0 | 71.2 |
Southland | 480.1 | 0 | 480.1 |
South Island | 2346.6 | 470.1 | 2816.8 |
NZ TOTAL | 3727.3 | 836.0 | 4563.3 |
The Energy Data File has additional information about New Zealand’s Energy resources.
