Buller Coalfield
There has been 140 years of coal mining in the Buller region and current production is principally for coking with the majority of coal being exported.
The Buller Coalfield is particularly well known for its production of high quality, low ash and high fluidity coking coals. The region's coal contains the world's lowest ash content for coking coal which ensures more energy and less waste is produced in the coke making process.
Such premium coking coal has high regard and value on the international market, with similar coal in the current market receiving prices of over US$250 a tonne. The low ash content and high fluidity means that the majority of Buller's production is suitable for export to overseas steel making industries. Rail lines adjacent to the Buller Coalfield service the entire west coast coal mining industry and connect to both river and deep water ports.
Solid Energy’s Stockton mine, which is contained within Bathurst’s permit areas, produces approximately two million tonnes of coal each year. Most of the coal mined at Stockton is exported for use in steel mills in India, China, Japan, South Africa and Brazil.
The Buller project would expect to produce the same high quality coal from the same seams mined by Solid Energy at Stockton.
