Bathurst Resources has reported a half year loss of $7.7 million, as it bought more land and equipment and expanded its operations.
Production at the Australian-owned coal miner's two operations in Southland fell 2% to 129,000 tonnes in the six months ending December.
But the company says it is expanding two of its coal sites and has bought a new mining fleet which should result in a higher output.
It has started mining its Cascade mine in South Buller 24 hours a day, which the company says will see production ramp up to 150,000 tonnes a year.
