Fears for future of Huntly East coal mine

September 21, 2012
Media Release

Fears for future of Huntly East coal mine

Miners at Huntly East are warning the mine could be forced to stop operating within two years if Solid Energy goes ahead with plans to make 120 redundancies and cancel the mine ventilation project.

The call comes ahead of a Solid Energy board meeting today, which is expected to confirm the company’s proposal.

Without the new ventilation system the mine will not be able to expand and will quickly run out of accessible coal deposits, putting the future of the entire mine at risk.
EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O’Connell says miners fear Solid Energy is gambling with the future of the mine in the pursuit of short-term savings.

“Solid Energy has presented these redundancies as a simple reduction of headcount at the mine but what they’re actually doing is cutting the ventilation project needed to ensure the future of the mine, and that puts everyone’s jobs at risk.

“This is a big mine and it’s got to have a regulated amount of air coming in to allow miners to work and to avoid explosions. Without proper ventilation Huntly East won’t be able to expand and that could mean curtains within two years.

“This would have huge downstream effects on the Glenbrook steel mill, which needs a continuous supply of high grade Huntly coal to operate. Without this supply there are real questions over the future of Glenbrook too.

“Our members are obviously deeply concerned about the future of the mine and feel as though Solid Energy’s pulling the rug out from under them.

“It’s crucial that Solid Energy considers the long-term future of the mine and the impact on the community, and we’ll be asking the Government that it does the same.”

ENDS

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