$4.6m boost for private coalmine

Roa Mining Company Ltd has been granted the biggest business loan yet from the West Coast Development Trust.

The underground mine is 500m up the Paparoa Ranges behind Blackball and is currently tunnelling into the rich coal seams left by the old Roa state coalmine, which closed in 1957.

Director Brent Francis said the capital injection would complete development of the mine and progressively increase production from 100,000 tonnes a year now to 250,000 tonnes. By comparison, Solid Energy's Spring Creek mine is aiming for a peak annual production of 800,000 tonnes and the proposed Pike River coalmine 650,000 tonnes.

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