A New Zealand judge has found Pike River Coal Limited guilty on all nine health and safety charges laid over the 2010 mine disaster which claimed 29 lives.

Greymouth district court judge Jane Farish found Pike River Coal Ltd was responsible for fundamental safety breaches which were "causative of the explosion and the subsequent deaths of the men who perished".

That provided some comfort for bereaved father Lawrie Drew.

"This is one good step because someone has been found culpable, but the punishment never fits what happens," he said.

Pike River Coal faces fines of up to $2 million.

The company is in receivership and owes secured creditors $20 million.

Pike River Coal will be sentenced in early July.