Page 77 - 00 Volume 5 The Mine

water were pumped into the remaining lake beyond 1 Crown Land applied for or taken by State

the stopbanks. Coal Mines under Part III of the Coal
The free water surface of the lake was Mines Act, 1925.
reduced in this way from 316 hectares to 58 2 Unoccupied Crown Land.
hectares. 3 Land owned by Waikato County.
Coal Mining proceeded in a generally north 4 Crown Land under application for
easterly direction with strippings being placed ownership by Huntly Borough.
beyond the stopbank, and later in the mined areas. The majority of the area is Unoccupied
The areal photo is a composite showing the Crown Land and land applied for taken under

mine in 1963 when disruption to the Part III of the Coal Mines Act 1925.
surrounding land was at its height. Since The entire study area (including the
cessation of opencast mining in 1976, natural opencast) is shown in the Waikato County
revegetation has taken place and the majority of District Scheme zoning maps as Lake, and has an
the mine affected land is covered by sparse toitoi underlying Rural A Zoning.
and other hardy plants. The following land uses were identified in
the area to be rehabilitated:
The Future of Kimihia
Most of the area of Kimihia Opencast is below The Opencast
river level, and water enters the mine by seepage
from the walls and surface run-off requiring The Kimihia Opencast can be considered in
continuous pumping from the floor of the simple terms as a hole in the ground surrounded
opencast. This must continue for the life of the by spoil which has been taken from that hole. The
East Mine to prevent flooding of the underground area of spoil has in places reverted to other land
workings. When underground mining ceases, the uses and is dealt with later, or now lies fallow
pumps will be shut off and the opencast will supporting casual recreational use.
slowly fill with water to form a new deep lake The pit is oval in shape, being 350 metres
within part of the original Lake Kimihia. This is wide and 1,200 metres long and 50 metres deep.

not expected within 25 years. The northern walls of the pit have been cut from
The rehabilitation plan for Kimihia is focussed the soil and rock covering the coal seams, and
on this eventual lake, but provides for interim land represent the final working face of the mine,
uses within the opencast during under-ground while the southern and eastern walls have been
mining. Earthworks, soil preparation and constructed with the spoil excavated from the
planting within the mine and along the eventual north and backfilled into the worked-out area of
beaches are designed to accommodate the eventual the pit.
lake and to cater for productive and compatible
land uses prior to the formation of the lake. The The cut and fill slopes forming its walls
sketch is an artist's impression of the opencast as are constructed at the maximum safe angle and

it may look in the future. highest faces between benches. For the material
exposed in the northeast corner of the opencast,
Beyond the present opencast, the mine these limits were perhaps exceeded toward the end
disturbed land to the perimeter of the original of mining, and slips have developed at these
lake is included in the rehabilitation proposals places. The only land use within the pit is the
and land uses compatible with the eventual lake development and associated surface installations
have been recommended by the consultants, and
are being encouraged and financially assisted by of the Huntly East Mine.

State Coal Mines.
Underground Mine
KIMIHIA - THE STUDY AREA
The Huntly East Mine is an underground
A fundamental requirement for mine with portals to the three inclined drives
s u c c e s s f u l rehabilitation of the Kimihia located within the old opencast. Coal won from
Opencast is compatibility between existing and this mine will be lifted by conveyor to a road and
proposed adjacent land uses, and due recognition rail head under construction on the south­eastern
of water quality and drainage aspects. The area rim of the opencast. A new road and parallel
considered in the study therefore, included land railway is nearing completion to connect the coal
beyond the Opencast, particularly Lake Kimihia, preparation and storage plant with State

and all the low lying area not in pasture. Highway 1 and the main trunk railway line.