Suspected methane explosion at Pike River mine in New ZealandThe entrance adit to Pike River coalmine is 2.3 km-long, 5.5 m-wide and 4.5 m-high. It was driven uphill near the top of the Paparoa range to intersect the Brunner coal measures containing 58.5 million t of recoverable hard coking coal. Along the way, the tunnel passed through a 60 m-wide faulted area containing methane, requiring the introduction of flameproof equipment for development and production. It has been estimated that around 1.4 million t of methane will be released during the lifetime of the mine. Another problem was experienced last year with a 108 m-deep ventilation shaft, which had to be reconstructed after a collapse in its lower section, delaying commissioning of mine production until early-2010. The mine is located in a remote area of South Island, with poor telecommunications. Some 27 men are listed as missing, a mixture of miners and contractors. The mine is well equipped with refuges, and, once electricity supplies are restored, ventilation should quickly purge any methane or combustion fumes. For more visit www.pike.co.nz/ten_years_in_the_making.php and www.macdow.com.au/search/index.php?tag=new+zealand. 46/10.