The Coal Resources Survey commenced in 1974 as a search for Huntly Power Station coal, but soon developed into the most detailed regional coal search programme to be instituted in New Zealand. The program was initially conceived as geological in nature, but later included geotechnical, geohydrological, mining assessment, coal use, and environmental considerations in its investigations._x000D_
The programme never undertook development work but has provided Government and the private sector with a sound basis for identifying development options._x000D_
The discovery of large-scale coal resources in the Mokau, Waikato, and Taranaki regions and the lignite resources of Otago and Southland are a measure of the Survey's success._x000D_
The directive by Government to phase out the NZCRS to a large extent coincides with the completion stage of the program. With most of the detailed regional study finished, it now remains to collate the data and publish summary reports at Coalfield and Coal Region level, in order to maximise the use and value of the data collected over the years.