Geology field trips rock you should never take them for granite! Ten lucky Earth and Space Science students visited an open cast coal mine in Reefton to help understand the formation of coal in our local region. We had typical west coast weather that made it all the more interesting, especially since some students forgot their jackets!!!

By studying geology and surface features these budding young scientists pieced together a story as old as time. From the breakup of Gondwana (ruled by dinosaurs) to the formation of the so-called 8th continent Zealandia, these students were able to identify the likely and very varied environment the west coast has been through in the past 80 million years. The amber in the coal proved to be unequivocal evidence for the swampy trees and plants that form this vital mineral. We noted the change to sandstone and limestone that indicated a sea level rise and pieced together the role of plate tectonics in producing the wavy pattern seen in the coal seams. A thoroughly enjoyable day out! Sorry again for the puns, it's not my fault!