The informal ceremony with the Department of Conservation (Doc) will be low-key and private, attention now focused firmly on the police case.
Anna Osborne, who led a picket of the mine in 2016 to halt it being sealed, says she still hopes to face former Pike River management in court.
Police, now armed with camera evidence from eight boreholes, would spend the next few months building their case as they tried to work out what had caused the explosion, Mrs Osborne said.
‘‘We couldn't get the men out, but hopefully they got some good evidence.’’
She still hoped to see manslaughter charges laid, and maybe others for criminal negligence.
‘‘I want the people responsible for killing our 29 men to face the families in court and explain themselves. How they allowed this to happen.
‘‘All the evidence is the gas results were really high.’’
Doc would eventually install a public interpretation centre at the mine site.
However, Mrs Osborne said that felt like a consolation prize. It was a reminder the men were still underground.
‘‘I'm more interested in the truth and justice side. That's what I'll be putting my energy into.’’
In an update to families, Pike River Recovery Agency acting chief executive Michelle Wessing said the agency was applying to the Government to surrender the mining permit.
Most staff contracts would end on March 31, and by mid-April all remaining services would be switched over at the mine site.
The recovery agency's office in Tainui St, Greymouth, would stay open for another month before the lease was surrendered.
