Mining Intelligence and News
New Zealand

Maramarua Mine

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Coal (thermal)
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Maramarua coal mine is part of North Island domestic (NID) segment. The mine produces a low-ash, low-sulphur thermal coal for local steelmaking, energy generation, and other food and agricultural industries.

Maramarua M1 pit growth project
Following enactments of the Resource Management Regulations 2020, has been modified the pit design to preserve identified areas as inland natural wetlands. New resource consents were received following constructive iwi and stakeholder consultation. Stripping on the project started in FY24 following the approval of consents, with the coal destined for the same customers as current operations. The pit is expected to enter full production in FY25.

Maramarua M2 pit growth project
The Maramarua M2 pit is an extension project to the current Maramarua mine operation and was part of the M1 pit. The project is in the resource consent planning phase.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Talley’s Energy Ltd. 35 % Indirect
Bathurst Resources Ltd. 65 % Indirect
BT Mining Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
BT Mining Ltd. is a joint-venture between Bathurst Resources Limited (65%) and Talley’s Energy Limited (35%).

BT Mining Ltd. is the permit holder and permit operator of the Maramarua Mine and has appointed Bathurst as the mine operator.

Deposit type

  • Sedimentary

Summary:

The stratigraphy of the Maramarua Coalfield is similar to that of other northern Waikato Coalfields, being dominated by thick, Cenozoic, Te Kuiti Group sediments which unconformably overlie Mesozoic basement rock of the Newcastle Group. The Waikato Coal Measures, and later Te Kuiti Group sediments, were deposited in a broad north to north-northwest trending elongated trough which appears to have been controlled by structural trends within the underlying Newcastle Group basement rock.

The Waikato Coal Measures are present over the entire coalfield with a thickness of up to 134m.

The Kupakupa main seam (KK) is located near the base of the coal measures, is the most widespread and thickest seam, and ranges in thickness ranging from less than 1m to 15m.

The Kupakupa seam has up to two upper seams (KU1, KU2) above the main KK seam. These seams are discontinuous and generally less than 1m thick and are not included in the resources reported.

The Kupakupa seam also has up to four lower seams (KL1, KL2, KL3, KL4) located 1m to 3m below the main KK seam. These lower seams like the upper seams are discontinuous and generally less than a metre thick.

The Kupakupa seam is overlain by carbonaceous shales, siltstones and claystones of the upper Te Kuiti Group.

The generalised structure of the coalfield dips at 15° north-northwest and flattens out towards the Miranda Fault due to fault drag effects on the hanging wall.

Two major faults dominate the deposit:
- The Foote Fault zone is interpreted to be a large displacement fault striking north-northeast that is downthrown to the southeast with an estimated throw of 150m.
- The Miranda Fault is a northeast striking fault, with displacements of up to 60m to the southeast.

Several other smaller displacement faults (less than 10m), which generally strike parallel to the two major faults, are interpreted to exist throughout the coalfield. Fault dips have been interpreted to be 65°, based on fault zone intercepts in drillholes.

The main Kupakupa (KK) seam is low ash, low fixed carbon and very low sulphur coal. There is some evidence of higher phosphorous coal (greater than 0.06% phosphorous in coal) at the base of the KK seam. The coal resource is sub-bituminous C rank.

Dimensions
The Maramarua Resource model is approximately 2.6km in length and 2.6km in width, covering approximately 680 hectares. Within this area there are two main areas of focus for future mining - K1 and M1 areas. As discussed above, the coal seams are generally laterally continuous, however thickness can vary over short lateral distances due to the highly faulted nature of the deposit.

The main Kupakupa (KK) seam is the target in this area. Seam thickness ranges from 1m to 15m. There are also isolated areas of KL seam which have been identified as an economic resource within the RF1.0 pit shell.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

CommodityUnits2024202320222021202020192018
Coal (thermal) kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe200 100 
All production numbers are expressed as ROM coal. ^ Guidance / Forecast.
** Combined production for Maramarua Mine and Rotowaro Mine

Operational metrics

Metrics2024202320222021202020192018
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe2,625,666 bcm1,739,000 bcm
Coal tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe0.2 Mt0.1 Mt

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 11, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 11, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 12, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 11, 2024

EmployeesYear
...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required 2020
...... Subscription required 2017

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.