Facts and Figures

Coal production statistics
 

New Zealand coal production in 2010 was 5.3 million tonnes, 17 percent up from 2009 production of 4.6 million tonnes. This is mainly due to the restoration of production levels at Solid Energy's two bitumous mines, Stockton and Spring Creek, which had been reduced for 2009 by industrial action and reduced export orders resulting from the global financial crisis.

Production is centred in the Waikato (2.0 million tonnes), on the West Coast (2.7 million tonnes) and in Southland (0.5 million tonnes). Five underground mines and sixteen opencast mines were operating in 2010.

Over 59 percent of national production was from two large opencast operations, at Rotowaro and Stockton. State-owned Solid Energy was responsoble for over 82 percent of national production, with a number of smaller private coal mining companies producing the remainder.

Operating Coal mines 

Coal production by mining method

Coal production by rank and region

Historic coal production by rank and method 1884-2009 [79 kB XLS]

Coal production by mining method
 

Production by mining method 1998-2010 [61 kB XLS]
 

Production by Mining Method 1998-2010

Production by Mining Method and Region for 2010 (kt)
 

Coal production by rank
 

Production by rank 1998-2010 [73 kB XLS]
 

Production by Rank 1998-2010

Production by Rank and Region for 2010 (kt)

The Energy Data File has additional information about New Zealand’s Energy resources.