The vast majority of the royal commission of inquiry hearings into the Pike River tragedy will be held in Greymouth, the commission says.

Attempts will be made this weekend to seal cracks around the ventilation shaft at the Pike River Coal mine and stop gases leaking out - a critical step in the process towards stabilising the mine.

The "vast majority" of the Pike River Royal Commission of Inquiry hearings into the tragedy which claimed the lives of 29 men will be held in Greymouth, the commission says.

A man who allegedly posed as a Pike River miner to steal from a family who befriended him was remanded in custody when he appeared in court today.

Police are on the lookout for a man who posed as a Pike River miner to steal from a family who befriended him on Christmas Eve.

Families of the 29 men killed in the Pike River Coal mine tragedy have publicly thanked everyone involved in the rescue and recovery operation.

Temperatures inside the Pike River Coal mine continue to fluctuate, frustrating those charged with retrieving the bodies of 29 men killed in a series of explosions since November 19.

Payouts will be made to the contracting companies that employed the men who died in the massive explosions at the Pike River coal mine, receivers announced today.

The family of Ben Rockhouse, who died in the Pike mine, have praised the 'selflessness and generosity' of the people of NZ.

Pike River Coal's receivers say it could take up to four months to re-enter the mine in which 29 workers died in an explosion last month. Receivers PricewaterhouseCooper (PWC) today presented a draft plan for re-entry.

The Coronial Inquest into the deaths of 29 men in the Pike River Coal mine will be held early next year, the chief coroner Judge MacLean says.

On Friday the 19th November I discovered my brother Conrad Adams was one of the 29 men who were inside the Pike River mine.

Families of the men killed in the Pike River mine will be getting immediate financial relief to get them through Christmas.

Pike River Mine was evacuated this morning when gas levels rose sharply...

NZ has just one inspector to oversee safety in its oil exploration industry.

Gas readings have been promising at the Pike River Coal mine since an Australian generator began pumping nitrogen into the mine yesterday to help cool the environment inside.

Labour Leader Phil Goff has joined calls for the Government to fund the recovery of the bodies of 29 men trapped in the Pike River mine.

Out-of-work Pike River miners will start finding out today if they have jobs, and if not, how much they will be paid out.

A grieving father and spokesman for families of the 29 men killed in the Pike River Coal mine says he's "gutted" for the Pike River workers made redundant after the company went into receivership.

Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn is calling for Pike River to be made into an opencast coal mine, amid efforts to keep the 114 skilled miners made redundant today on the West Coast.

An Australian mine safety expert and a former senior NZ public servant have been named as Royal Commissioners in the Pike River mine tragedy inquiry.