by frog
Here’s a bit of an update of what is happening in Happy Valley at the moment from a local:
It’s very noisy in Happy Valley these days, with 2 drill rigs and a water pump pounding away. They’re all within 200m of the protest camp. Solid Energy is drilling 35 test holes to give them a better idea of the coal resource.
Meantime, the spot price for coking coal has more than halved and contract prices are expected to follow. Solid Energy says it will produce 20% less coal from Stockton this year. Profit for the half year to December was a record $78m, half of what was expected. It’s hard to imagine that it’ll be business as usual over the next year and I’ve heard some environmental staff have been laid off. But Stockton’s $100m coal washing plant will go ahead, says Solid Energy’s CEO Don Elder. This will allow them to process over one million tonnes of contaminated coal that is already mined and stockpiled.
It’s hard to imagine SE starting an expensive mine in Happy Valley under these circumstances. But who knows?
Happy Valley drilling
Published in Environment & Resource Management by frog on Tue, March 17th, 2009
Tags: climate change, coal, conservation, Happy Valley
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
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http://www.climatecamp.org.nz
Building a Peoples Movement addressing the Root Causes of Climate Change
Gathering at Parihaka 24th-27th April
Get involved, come to a meetinm, come to the Gathering!
http://www.climatecamp.org.nz/GETTING%20IN%20TOUCH.html
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Anyone wanting to visit happy valley go to: http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz – there is a facebook page and myspace, and actions and events will be occurring throughout 2009.
The mine does not have confirmed funding and has not been through the final internal process by Solid Energy, they may not be able to afford it (financially and socially).
A benefit gig is happening in Motueka soon, details will be up on facebook – search: Save Happy Valley
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