Doug Hood Mining

Reddale Mine – 28 month opencast mining contract

March 17, 2014

In October 2011 Doug Hood Mining Ltd (DHML) was selected by Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd (SENZ) to mine the Reddale coal resource. Commencing November 2011 the contract ran for 28 months, concluding February 2014 when SENZ went owner-operator.

The contract was completed with all targets met including zero lost time injury (LTI), a result acknowledged by SENZ as a great achievement. Total production included 1.75M bcm excavated and 193,000 tonne of coal weighed out.

DHML General Manager Kevin Davies said the achievements of the team both on site and from the DHML Westport Workshop including completing the job Lost Time Injury Free helps to underpin the company’s Zero Harm for Life of Mine objective.

Reddale Mine 1st mining block (Dec 2011)

Reddale Mine 1st mining block (Dec 2011)

Reddale Mine development block (Feb 2014)

Reddale Mine northern cutback (Feb 2014)

The mine is located at the base of the Ferndale valley approximately seven kilometres from Reefton by road and sandwiched between two previously worked underground/opencast mines. The coal is thermal and used by West Coast organisations.

The mine, managed for DHML by Rangi Hicks, initially employed 10 people but increased to 16 in September 2013 with the addition of a night shift to boost production.

The DHML Reddale fleet consisted of:
1 x Volvo EC700C excavator
2 x Volvo EC360C excavators
1 x Volvo EC290B excavator
5 x Volvo A40E articulated dump trucks
1 x Komatsu D275 dozer
1 x Cat D8T dozer
1 x Cat 16H grader
1 x Isuzu watercart
1 x JCB 540 telehandler

Office & hardstand facilities including a temporary workshop were established at the greenfield site. Our Westport Workshop crew provided mechanical backup along with on-call subcontractors.

First coal was achieved in March 2012.

 

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