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Thread ID: 115851 2011-02-06 20:01:00 Pike River open cast mining ? Digby (677) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1175779 2011-02-06 20:01:00 Hi guys

I see Tony Kokshoorn in the news about getting open cast mining going at Pike river to get at the 6 billion dollars worth of coal that is there and to provide jobs etc.

That sounds a good idea to me.

But it is under 150 metres of rock.
That's a 75 storied building

Does anyone know if it is possible or more importantly economic to dig down through that much rock to get at the coal.
I mean that seems (pun) to be a lot of rock if you did it over a few square kilometeres.
Digby (677)
1175780 2011-02-06 20:10:00 k.
That's a 75 storied building


May be, Tony's worked it out as equal to a (150/3) 50 story building. :p

But still a hell of a lot of rock. It wouldn't have to be exposed all at the same time though?
WalOne (4202)
1175781 2011-02-06 20:18:00 Hi guys

I see Tony Kokshoorn in the news about getting open cast mining going at Pike river to get at the 6 billion dollars worth of coal that is there and to provide jobs etc.

That sounds a good idea to me.

But it is under 150 metres of rock.
That's a 75 storied building

Does anyone know if it is possible or more importantly economic to dig down through that much rock to get at the coal.
I mean that seems (pun) to be a lot of rock if you did it over a few square kilometeres.

With the price of coal as high as it is now, apparently it is quite economical to dig through that much rock.
somebody (208)
1175782 2011-02-06 20:34:00 I reckon they need to do something to employ the workers - weather it's a new project, of turning Pike River into an open cast mine. Greymouth will struggle if nothing is done. wratterus (105)
1175783 2011-02-06 20:38:00 Greenies will absolutely hate the idea. I dont know much about the area with tourists etc to have a opinion. Battleneter2 (9361)
1175784 2011-02-06 20:47:00 As I said in another thread it should have been open cast in the first place but the Greenies had some ducks living there that had to be saved. Snorkbox (15764)
1175785 2011-02-06 20:51:00 As I said in another thread it should have been open cast in the first place but the Greenies had some ducks living there that had to be saved.

:thumbs:
wratterus (105)
1175786 2011-02-06 22:14:00 Yep, it's one hellova lotta rock. That's the thing with open-cast mining, there wouldn't be such an issue if it was only 15m below the surface, but that's not how it works.

I say go for it.
ubergeek85 (131)
1175787 2011-02-07 00:39:00 Yes, I was hoping that someone with some knowledge of mining etc might come on.

150 metres is one hell of a lot of rock, and we need to know how deep the coal seam is.

If they used explosives how many meters of rock can you blow up in one go ?
Digby (677)
1175788 2011-02-07 00:42:00 If they used explosives how many meters of rock can you blow up in one go ?

Depends on how far down you can drill to plant the explosives
ubergeek85 (131)
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