After the end of the Christmas break, the Australian markets opened to close flat. The reasons for the same have been thin trading volumes and also negative response of the mining companies to the rate hike in China.

At the end of the trading day, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 Index ended lower by 2.1 points or 0.04 per cent to be at 4775.2. On the other hand, the All Ordinaries Index went up to be up by 3.3 per cent or 0.07 per cent.

Underground coal mining jobs might be there at Reefton in 2011 in place of a small number of the ones lost at the Pike River Coal mine.

Crusader Coal, a small private company, has agreed conditionally to purchase Solid Energy's Terrace mine. The owners of Crusader are underground coal mining professionals having mining experience in New Zealand and Australia.

The union is repeating to discover in favour of increased safety measures in mines. This is indicated to Pike River miners.

From November 19 there was a number of explosions and near about twenty-nine men died in the West Coast mine. The mine ruins closed with their bodies were intent inside though a fire burns.

Receivers of Pike River Coal Ltd have stated in clear cut terms that they are not able to own up responsibility to take care of destructed coal mine. Few days back series of mine explosions occurred near Greymouth which lies on the West Coast. It was severe explosion which claimed huge casualties and financial loss.

There is rise of Calls for an opencast coal mine at Pike River of between efforts to search work for 114 people. Today it has made surplus.

Tony Kokshoorn, the Grey District Mayor has alleged that many of the skilled mine workers on the West Coast will be engaged by the making of Pike River opencast.

He has held that there will be mining brought on 100ha of Department of Conservation land in the Paparoa Ranges.

Major creditor and shareholder New Zealand Oil and Gas announced on Monday that on the request of Pike river coal Ltd., it had put the company under receivership, with substantial debts.

The company has debts which are more than its cash and other sources of funds. A series of explosions began on November 19, killing 29 men. The incident took place at West Coast mine near Greymouth.