The receiver of the Pike River coal mine says an idea to tunnel a new access point into the mine has not yet been explored.
Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn says experts have raised the idea of sealing the main shaft and tunneling another way in, which could take two years.
However, John Fisk of PricewaterhouseCoopers says no detailed work has yet been done on that idea.
Mr Fisk says the receivers will take over the operation next week, but in the meantime, two new boreholes are being drilled which should take about four weeks.
