Stratigraphy and palynology of late Oligocene to Miocene lignite bearing sediments, Eastern Southland

The Eastern Southland, Central Otago and Kaitangata areas contain a lignite resource of approximately 10 billion tonnes. Mines feasibilty studies suggest that a high proportion of this high moisture low ash coal will be economically recoverable in large scale surface mines incorporating bucket wheel excavators and belt conveyors. Although there has been a long history of both underground and surface lignite mining in the Eastern Southland area, little information pertinent to the subsurface distribution or lateral continuity of individual lignite seams existed until a NZ Government financied exploration program commenced in 1977.