UK Coal set to “dry mine” Huntington Lane

As part of the original agreement UK Coal were supposed to wash the coal to dampen it which prevents too much dust from being produced. Severn Trent the local water supplier are now saying that the local pipeline won’t provide enough pressure for UK Coal to use as well as local residents. They will therefore have to pay for a new pipeline, however as we reported earlier UK Coal are massively in debt and cannot afford extra expenses like this. They decided instead that they will “dry mine” Huntington Lane, going against the original terms of the agreement. Dry mining will cause a lot more dust to be created and could have a negative impact on the health of local residents. It also raises concerns over other promises UK Coal have made such as restoring the mine after they have finished.

Video of “No New Coal” Raft

Final part of the Rafts journey as it sails under the Iorn Bridge

Protest raft sails down River Severn

Yesterday Sunday 31st residents from the Defend Huntington Lane Camp took their message onto the river Severn and sailed it downstream. The six person raft complete with a big “No New Coal” banner and UK Coal digger figurehead sailed down the River Severn and past EON’s Buildwas B coal fired power station which is where the coal from Huntington Lane will eventually end up. It then sailed further downstream and under the famous Iron Bridge where it was meet with cheers from a crowd of locals and tourists who had gathered on the bridge.

UK Coal announces losses of £129.1m

UK Coal had been in merger talks with Hargreaves Services but has had to put these talks on hold after reporting a loss of £129.1m for 2009. They put this down to low coal prices and low coal production in its deep mines.  The company also has debts of £236m which are greater than the actual value of the company at £177m.  A report by Minorca Opencast Protest Group shows that this is just continuing the trend of the last 8 years where the company lost over £110m. With most of its deep mines set to close by the end of the decade it will have a bigger dependency on its open-cast mines.  There are 3 open-cast mines set to open this year but it could be costly as opposition to them is proving fierce. UK Coals long-term plans are likely to be property development of their open-cast mines.