…1830s
The first coal mining in New Zealand was probably at Shag Point in Otago when sailors broke off lumps of coal from beach outcrops to fuel their try pots used for rendering whale blubber down to oil.

…1842
Europeans shown outcrops of coal in the Waikato area by local Maori.

…1846
Brunner and Heaphy discover coal near Charleston on the West Coast of the South Island.

…1848
Brunner discovers coal in the Grey River area.

…1859
Rochfort discovers coal on the Waimangaroa River.

…1861
Coal discovered by gum diggers in Northland.

…1860s
Coal used to fuel gunboats on the Waikato River during the Land Wars.

…1869
Coal discovered at Boatmans Creek, Reefton.

…1870s
Coal discovered in the Nightcaps and Ohai areas in Southland.

…1872
Mining began at Ngakawau in the Buller area.

…1874
First coal mining company formed in the Waikato, Taupiri Coal Mines.

…1878
First mining on the Denniston Plateau, 1000 metres above sea level.

…1901
Coal Mines Act passed and State Coal Mines formed.

…1903
State Coal open their first mine at Seddonville in the Buller region.

…1908
First coal in the Stockton-Webb area mined.

…1908
Blackball Miners Strike. The strike was over the refusal of the Arbitration Courts to lengthen miner's lunch breaks to half an hour. The action paved the way for the formation of the Miners Federation and the rise of prominent Labour Movement figures.

…1917
Rotowaro Mines in the Waikato developed in response to demand for coal during First World War.

…1938
Strongman State Coal Mine opened.

…1947
Private owners began to abandon unprofitable mines. State Coal purchased these mines to provide coal for the market and to retain employment and mining skills. Major mine purchases included Blackball, Stockton, and Glen Afton.

…1956
Meremere coal fired power plant opened.

…1966
Government policy to shut down uneconomic mines. Between 1961 and 1973 more than 3000 people left mining settlements.

…1973
The oil crisis spurred the development of two mechanised mines at Huntly to supply the Huntly power station and the expansion of the New Zealand Steel Mills at Glenbrook.

…1978
State Coal Mines began production at Huntly East and West underground mines.

…1980
First shipment of Buller coal to Japan.

…1987
State Coal Mines converted to CoalCorp. The objectives of the new organisation were to run as a commercial business instead of being involved in energy planning and regional development. Staff numbers were reduced from 1800 to 890. In the first year, twenty years of loss making as State Coal was turned into a $4m profit, with a $9m profit in the second year.

…1988
Privatisation of CoalCorp begun.

…1991
Parliament passes the Resource Management Act and the Crown Minerals Act to govern and control the mining of coal and other mineral resources in New Zealand.

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