Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says "all going well" the mine "re-entry process" could start before the end of the year.
Speaking in Parliament's Question Time today, Mr Little outlined the fact that heading into the mine "can be done".
"To some extent re-entry will be season dependent due to barometric pressures, all things going well the re-entry process could begin to start before the end of the year," Mr Little said.
His comments today come as 31 international experts have been meeting near Greymouth this week and say there's no reason the mine drift can't be entered safely to search for the remains of those who died.
International experts have been meeting on the West Coast this week. (Source: Other)
The remains of 29 men still lie deep inside the mine.
Almost eight years since the disaster, the team of experts from around the world is deciding whether it's safe to re-enter the 2.4 kilometre drift.
"The feeling amongst the room is they can't see anything that is a show stopper that we can't put controls around," said Dinghy Pattinson, Pike River Recovery Agency chief operating officer.
Also in the meeting room with the experts have been Pike family members. Their hopes were dashed in 2014 when Solid Energy declared the mine too risky to re-enter, but they didn't stop fighting.
"From what I've been privy to there is absolutely no reason why this can't be achieved," said Anna Osbourne, Pike River family member.
But nobody is saying it will be easy.
The preferred plan would see nitrogen pumped in to neutralise the methane gas that fuelled the fatal explosions.
"Leave that nitrogen over the top of the roof fall area where the previous fire was so you don't reignite the fire," Mr Pattinson said.
Then the drift would be flooded with fresh air, so those entering wouldn't need breathing apparatus.
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