State-owned Solid Energy has confirmed it is among those interested in buying the assets of the Pike River Coal mine from receivers and called for all potential buyers to commit to recovering the bodies of 29 workers killed in the mine.
The call came as lawyers for the families of the men who died in the mine said they are taking legal action to stop the mine being worked until the bodies are recovered.
Expressions of interests for the assets are due by today.
Solid Energy, which had previously stated its interest in the mine, said it submitted an expression of interest.
"Solid Energy remains committed to recovering the bodies of the 29 miners, if possible, and to address the situation of the unsecured West Coast creditors," chief operating officer Barry Bragg.
"We expect that any company seeking to acquire the assets should be held to the same expectations.
"The worst that could happen for the families and the West Coast is that a speculator acquires the assets and banks them in their resource portfolio. That really would be the worst possible outcome for everyone." Mr Bragg said.
Solid Energy reiterated that it considered itself to have a "natural interest" in the mine with the knowledge and logistics arrangements to mine successfully on the West Coast of the South Island.
The receiving of expressions of interest is the first stage of the sales process. Potential buyers then sign a confidentiality agreement and are allowed access to further information.
Pike River Coal shareholder New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd has said there are potential buyers other than Solid Energy.
The receivers, PricewaterhouseCoopers, are marketing the mining license, access agreement and supporting plant and equipment. The access agreement is with the Department of Conservation and it can be assigned to a buyer with the consent of the department.
The mine where 29 workers died last November is estimated to have a resource of 58.5 million tonnes of premium hard coking coal of which 17.6 million tonnes is estimated to be saleable. A second coal seam below the seam being mined provides further potential.
Spokesman for the families, Bernie Monk, who lost his son Michael Monk, told The Press yesterday the families would not accept coal mining at the site until the bodies had been retrieved.
Lawyers for the families would start proceedings which could ask for a clause in the mine sale agreement stopping the mine being worked on until the bodies were removed, Mr Monk said.
He said Carol Rose, mother of Pike River victim Stuart Mudge, met Prime Minister John Key, raising the families' concerns about work resuming at the mine.
