Coal » Stevenson Mining
75 years and still going strong Karen Phelps After 75 years in the industry Stevenson Mining believes that mining is an important part of this country’s heritage as well as being a significant component of New Zealand’s economy. “A comprehensive poll carried out in New Zealand by Pauline Colmar in 2012 found that 81% of participants believed it was ‘very important or quite important’ to develop New Zealand’s natural resources for prosperity, while 77% were ‘very concerned or quite concerned’ about New Zealand’s standard of living,” says Stevenson Mining general manager Mike Coleman. “It is sentiments such as these that underpin Stevenson’s desire to actively participate in the industry.” Stevenson has been involved in mining since 1938 when it acquired the Drury Quarry. In the mid-1950s Stevenson began work on Kopuku (since renamed Kopako) in the Waikato. In addition to current contracting work at the Rotowaro and Coaldale mines, Stevenson has an interest in a specialist coal deposit at Te Kuha, located approximately 12km south of Westport in the Buller District of the West Coast. Stevenson Mining services range from mine planning, design and management to water management, overburden removal and haul road construction. Coleman says the company’s focus remains firmly fixed on building an effective and sustainable mining operation. “We seek to apply a high standard of resource extraction, processing, health and safety and environment methodologies to all of our projects. “Our track record speaks for itself – several decades of being reliable and responsible operators, completing projects on time and within budget.” Coleman says the contract mining services offered by the company provide the mine owner with a number of key benefits including the capacity to quickly get their mine operational, reduced capital investment and certainty on budget. “We offer the ability to optimise economies of scale without the client’s investment in staff and capital. This gives our clients time to focus on what they do best – marketing the resource.” Stevenson Mining will shortly complete its second year as the mine contractor at Rotowaro in Huntly. The mine, which is owned by Solid Energy, is New Zealand’s second largest opencast coal mine.
Stevenson Mining will shortly complete its second year as the mine contractor at the Rotowaro open-cast coal mine in Huntly.
“We’ve exceeded all targets at Rotowaro,” says Coleman. “I put this down to excellent teamwork and also to the strong support we’ve had from Solid Energy. “Technically we work really closely with Solid Energy; it’s a real partnership. “Stevenson’s strong people values combined with its ongoing systems development and a culture of continuous improvement has created a positive work environment and a mine that everyone is proud of.” At Coaldale work continues at the greenfield mine site which is located around a kilometre north west of Nightcaps in western Southland.
We offer the ability to optimise economies of scale without the client’s investment in staff and capital. This gives our clients time to focus on what they do best – marketing the resource.”
Stevenson is contracted to Takitimu Coal, which is owned by Bathurst Resources for the removal of coal and overburden. At Te Kuha, a small speciality coking coal resource, initial exploratory and ecological work is being evaluated prior to applying for consents.
Coleman says Stevenson’s aim is to mine the resource selectively, ecologically and sustainably. “It will probably be mined over a 10-15 year period, dependent on market demand. “What we are trying to achieve is both an employment and a social project.”
Staff get on their bikes.... A focus for Stevenson Mining has always been supporting the communities within which the company operates. In order to give something back to the West Coast community Stevenson Mining has been supporting the Source to Sea cycle race. “We wanted to ensure the cycle race continued to operate, as it is an important annual event for the community,” says Stevenson Mining general manager Mike Coleman. The Stevenson Mining Source to Sea race starts at St Arnaud at Lake Rotoiti, south-west
of Nelson, and finishes at Carter’s Beach in Westport. A range of cycling challenges is offered, both individual and team, and from 50km to 160km. Stevenson Mining not only sponsors the event but a number of staff also enjoy taking part. This year Stevenson fielded a team of around 24 participants in the event, many of whom were back to see if they could improve on their previous year’s performance. “It’s a very worthwhile community-oriented event and a great way to get staff and friends to bond outside work.”
Stevenson knows. Mining. www.stevenson.co.nz
(09) 09 984 8400 Spring 2013 » Mining NZ 19