Sixty-three jobs at Solid Energy's Stockton mine near Westport have gone after a mining contractor finished the job early.
Kaipara Ltd had a contract to remove overburden at the opencast mine and was due to complete the job in December.
However, the work was already completed, Solid Energy's Bryn Somerville said.
The job losses come after Solid Energy announced it was cutting nearly 200 jobs at its Christchurch office and Huntly mine and reviewing its underground operation at Spring Creek, which supports 230 jobs.
Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union organiser Garth Elliott blamed the Stockton job losses on Solid Energy's restructuring and not the loss of available work.
Kaipara was preparing to take on more staff for more upcoming work at the mine but had had it cut from under them, he said.
The 63 workers could hope to find work at the proposed Bathurst mine nearby, but it was more likely they would head to Australia to stay in mining work, Mr Elliott said.
Stockton employs between 800 and 1000 people.
NZN