In March 2012 , Solid Energy purchased Pike River Coal , which had gone into receivership after the Pike River Mine disaster of 2010 . The sale was completed in May . There has been criticism because Solid Energy decided in 2014 that it was too risky to re-enter the mine to recover any remains from the mine . The government subsequently purchased the 3580 ha of land around the Pike River Mine . The envirionment minister Nick Smith announced on 15 November 2015 that the 3580 ha of land is to be added to the Paparoa National Park , and a 45 km walkway , the '' Pike 29 Memorial Track '' from Blackball to Punakaikai through the park constructed as a memorial to the 29 miners lost in the disaster
Pike River Mine disaster
Pike River Mine disaster
Solid Energy