Brunner Mine
The Brunner Mine was a coal mine on the West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand.
The Brunner Mine site in 2004 | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | 11 km (6.8 mi) northeast of Greymouth |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 42°25′57″S 171°19′27″E |
| Production | |
| Products | Coal |
| History | |
| Opened | 1864 |
| Closed | 1942 |
The Brunner Mine was one of several mines situated on the banks of the Grey River, at an area known as "Coal Gorge" between the townships of Stillwater and Taylorville. The town of Brunner (formerly Brunnerton) is nearby.
Coal was discovered on the West Coast by Nelson surveyor Thomas Brunner "during the most arduous of his journeys in search of more agricultural land". The coal was of extremely high quality and it did not take long before it attracted interest. And, of course, "The West Coast had the added attraction of gold mining and it seems that the employment opportunity offered by coal mining was in the difficult economic times not one to be turned down".