Environmental Performance
Pike River takes its environmental responsibility seriously and has earned two commendations for its performance.
In September 2008 the Department of Conservation awarded a certificate to Pike River recognising the "environmental consideration it has demonstrated in establishment of mining facilities".
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| DoC Certificate |
In November 2008 Ferguson Brothers Limited won the "Canterbury Contractors of the Year Award" for construction of the mainly single lane, 10-kilometre mine access road which minimised damage to ancient native bush.
The surface ‘footprint' on Department of Conservation administered land from the mine access road and infrastructure has been restricted to thirteen hectares. Eight hectares had been previously logged so only five hectares of unlogged vegetation - mainly for the 10 kilometre access road and the mine administration buildings - had to be cleared.
Pike River has striven to minimise the effects of its operations on the land, the native vegetation and fauna, and waterways, and to blend its surface operations in with the natural environment.
Specific steps include:
- taking only a relatively small proportion of the Brunner seam coal to minimise adverse effects from subsidence on the surface
- using a slurry pipeline rather than trucks to carry coal 10 kilometres from the mine face to the coal preparation plant
- undertaking a pest and predator control programme to encourage the return of native birds like the blue duck (whio) and great spotted kiwi
- sponsoring a blue duck enhancement programme
- deliberately constructing a 10-kilometre access road to wind through ancient rimu and totara trees rather than taking them out to allow for a straighter road at less cost
- blending the mine management buildings into the native forest setting
- constructing a rail loadout facility on unproductive land formed by old dredge tailings
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| Predator control station |
Pike River has undertaken that once mining is completed, it will restore the site to its natural state.
The Conservation Minister, Tim Groser, visited the mine in January 2009 to see for himself how a full-on commercial operation with significant economic benefit for the West Coast and the country can still safeguard an outstanding natural environment.
He described it as a "showcase development which has set a new environmental standard for mining".