Historic NZ coal production

Chronology of events in coal mining

1846  Thomas Brunner discovers coal on West Coast

1849  Production from first New Zealand coal mine, at Saddle Hill, Dunedin

1865  First production from Kamo mine, Northland

1862  First gasworks established at Auckland

1863  Mining begins at Huntly coalfield, Waikato

1864  First mines open at Greymouth and Buller coalfields

1869  Mining begins at Maramarua coalfield, northern Waikato

1879  Mining begins at Ohai in Southland

1884  Mining begins at Mokau in Taranaki

1901  State Coal Mines established

1915  Mining begins at Rotowaro in the Waikato

1944  Large-scale opencast mining begins at Buller

1955  Last coal mine in Northland closes at Kamo

1970  First production of steel from ironsand at Glenbrook steel mill

1971  First delivery of Kapuni gas

1973  First OPEC oil shock

1975  NZ Coal Resources Survey begins

1970s Beginning of coal exports to Japan

1979  First delivery of Maui gas

1982  Preliminary mining study of South Island lignite deposits for feedstock to a synthetic fuel plant

1987  Corporatisation of State Coal Mines

1990  Last coal mine in Taranaki closes at Waitewhena

1994  Strongman No2 underground mine begins production

1999  Development of Spring Creek underground mine, a Solid Energy and Todd Coal JV, commences

2002  New Zealand annual coal production tops 4 million tonnes for the first time

2003  New Zealand annual coal tops 5 million tonnes.

New Zealand coal Production