Technical mining experts are in Greymouth for the next two weeks to look at risks involved in each of the three re-entry options the Pike River Recovery Agency is investigating for the Pike River Mine.
It includes technical expert advisers, independent miners, agency staff, Family Reference Group members, plus representatives from Work Safe NZ, New Zealand Mines Rescue, Ngati Waewae, and the Department of Conservation.
The three options being risk assessed are:
- Single entry - going into the current portal with suitable safety controls in place.
- Build a new small tunnel from up on the hill, from about 220 to 250m long, to connect with pit bottom in stone for ventilation and second egress.
- Single entry with a new large diameter borehole to provide a means of emergency escape.
At the end of this workshop, the agency expects to have a thorough understanding of all the risks inherent in the three re-entry options.
Two further phases of the risk assessment process will include a review of the findings of this workshop on October 1 and 2; and a final review on October 16.
