Pike re-entry decision soon
A decision on whether the Pike River mine drift can be safely reentered is likely to be made within two weeks.
Minister Andrew Little received yesterday a plan compiled by the Pike River Recovery Agency that includes a preferred option for re-entry of the mine drift. The Government set up the agency to recover the mine drift eight years after the explosion that killed 29 men on November, 19, 2010. The aim is to recover any bodies that might be in the drift and gather any evidence of what might have caused the methane explosion. Anna Osborne, whose husband Milton was among the victims, said the plan landing on Little’s desk was a huge milestone for the families.
‘‘I’m feeling very positive that we are that much closer to bringing about closure and justice.
‘‘He will go through everything with his caucus and then they will give us an answer.
‘‘All indications at this stage lead me to believe it can be done and can be done safely,’’ she said.
The agency had come up with a preferred recommendation, Osborne said, but that would not be made public until Little had reviewed the plan.
‘‘I’m pretty positive from what I heard at the technical workshops I attended that there are no showstoppers. They don’t have an open chequebook but they have guaranteed to go up to the end of the drift if it can be done safely. ‘‘Safety is first priority.’’ Osborne was spending yesterday visiting the Pike River memorial at Atarau, on what was her and Milton’s 26th wedding anniversary.
Three options to re-enter the 2.3 kilometre tunnel, or mine drift, were drawn up by technical experts, representatives from the Pike River families, police, WorkSafe, the Department of Conservation, and Mines Rescue.
The three options for re-entry are: using a single entry; building a new 250-metre-long tunnel, which would connect with the ‘‘Pit Bottom in Stone’’ area, for ventilation and a second escape route; and using a single entry but adding a new large borehole to provide a means of emergency escape. All three options have been through a risk assessment and been reviewed by another team of technical ventilation, geotechnical and mining experts.
The agency has a budget of $23 million but previously said the re-entry would cost more.
Little said he would not comment further before a decision had been taken, which is expected by the middle of November.
A nitrogen plant has been set up at the mine site to purge the mine of methane ready for reentry, which if approved should be completed by March next year.