Is coalmining a thing of the past in NZ?

[Wolfinsheepsclothing]

as the title states, i'm a coalminer in NZ and as of yesterday I will probably be looking for a new job as the company I work for Solid energy announced that out of 69 miner's jobs there will only be 20 jobs available ,it comes as a real kick in the guts after last years cuts (60 miners), the ceo blaming the importation of Indonesian coal by the steelmill we supply for near halving our yearly tonnage of coal supply, but through the miners eyes it's more to do with the mismanagement and large salary's and self- payed bonuses the former ceo and board (and various big wigs) received/receives ,i'm not holding much hope of retaining my job after 10 plus years service, so I may look to your country for a job but have heard of lay offs in Aussie too, here's a link or two about the announcement :- http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/indu...t-the-coalface http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/indu...iners-laid-off

[Motorbreath310]

No work here, dude. I'm an UG miner as well that started with SEN at East mine. I've probably met you before. I live in NSW now and have been unemployed for two months.

[Wolfinsheepsclothing]

beautiful joe

[Motorbreath310]

Originally Posted by Wolfinsheepsclothing

beautiful joe

Haha! Haven't heard that in a while.

[aussiblue]

Probably not:
Although not considered a clean fuel world coal production and consumption has been increasing albeit with falling prices:

http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013...f-coal-demand/
http://www.worldcoal.org/resources/coal-statistics/
etc.

Perhaps the problem is producers are anticipating that environmental concerns will eventually see it use outlawed or significantly curtailed or restricted and are trying to produce and sell as much as they can now at any price - overproducing to the detriment of price.

[aussiblue]

And while it of no consolation to those who have lost their jobs, from a future perspective at least I think it's probably better off in the ground rather than being sold off at cut prices to China now or in competition to imported coal now. In the longer term technology will doubtless find a cleaner way to use coal and prices will rises when all that being sold off at cut prices now has been burnt. It won't make the planet any greener as not only will the equivalent amount of imported coal be burnt, but there will be the addition of burnt fuel used to ship it to NZ.

[kiwiinaus]

central queensland has not much more to offer at present but there are several new mines in the development stage and more waiting to get a start. the hard part is finding the right door to knock on to get a start.