Rotowaro Carbonisation Plant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rotowaro Carbonisation Plant |
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The Rotowaro Carbonisation Plant.
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| General information | |
| Type | Coal processing plant |
| Address | South of Rotowaro Road, 8 km south-west of Huntly |
| Coordinates | 37°36′6″S 175°4′24″E / 37.60167°S 175.07333°E |
| Construction started | 1930 |
| Completed | 1931 |
| Designated: | 22 August 1991 |
| Reference #: | 7013 |
The Rotowaro Carbonisation Plant was a special factory in the Rotowaro/Huntly area of New Zealand. It was also known as the Waikato Carbonisation Plant. This factory processed coal to make it more useful. It was the very first plant in the Southern Hemisphere to use a special method called the Lurgi process.
How the Plant Worked
This plant was built in the late 1930s. It was the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Its main job was to turn low-quality coal from nearby mines into carbon briquettes. These briquettes were like small blocks of fuel. People used them to heat their homes.
The plant used a method called the Lurgi process to change the coal. This process created coke and charcoal. It also made other things like tar and creosote. The tar was mixed with the charcoal to make the briquettes.
However, the plant also created waste. This waste was put directly into the nearby Awaroa stream. This caused a lot of pollution in the water. People complained about the pollution. So, the company tried to burn the waste. But the plant made too much waste for the burners to handle. The extra waste was then pumped into special pools.
The plant kept operating until 1985. In that year, a big fire caused part of the plant to explode. After this, the plant closed down.
Over time, different owners took over the plant. Eventually, it was completely left empty. Today, the land where the plant sits is looked after by the Public Trust. Because of its important past, the plant is listed as a Category I Historic Place. This means it is a very important historical site in New Zealand.
Cleaning Up the Site
After the plant closed, it was owned by two groups. These were the Ministry of Energy and New Zealand Steel. Later, New Zealand Steel was sold to a private company. The land where the plant stood then went to the local government.
In the 1990s, experts checked the site. They found that the land was very contaminated. This meant there were harmful substances left behind. These substances could be dangerous to people and the environment.
So, a group called Environment Waikato stepped in. They worked to clean up the site. They removed all the harmful chemicals. This made the area safe again for people and nature.
