New coal mine shows industry is defying predictions

The much criticised coal industry is confounding its critics by refusing to lie down and die. Defunct state coal miner Solid Energy's assets have been bought by Talleys and Bathurst Resources in a $55m deal, and an entirely new mine is planned for the Buller River, 12km upstream from Westport. An application for a resource consent for the Te Kuha Mine began this week on the West Coast - the company making the application is the century-old firm, Stevenson Mining. Energy reporter Eric Frykberg explains the latest developments.