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Story: Coal and coal mining

Coal cutting

Image
Coal cutting

Compressed-air machines like this one were used to cut coal from the seam.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, J. R. Wall Collection

Reference: 1/1-013014; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Alan Sherwood and Jock Phillips, Coal and coal mining – The miners’ work, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7448/coal-cutting (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Alan Sherwood and Jock Phillips, published 2 March 2009.