Prior to Solid Energy asset sales, Solid Energy was the largest coal mining company in New Zealand, a state owned enterprise. It was formed in 1987 from the former Government department State Coal Mines. The company’s annual production was approximately 4 million tonnes, of which about 70% is used in steel making.
Solid Energy’s main mining operations were in Waikato in the central North Island and in the West Coast/Buller region.
Waikato coals are sub-bituminous, supplied predominantly to the New Zealand Steel plant at Glenbrook and Genesis Energy’s Huntly Power Station. From Buller and West Coast mines there are a range of coal products, including hard, semi-hard and semi-soft coking coals for export to long-term customers and quality thermal grades supplied to customers throughout the upper South Island.