Mineral endowment report released
A new report on New Zealand’s mineral endowment identifying short, medium, and long-term prospects for potential development has been released.
Undertaken by GNS Science as a key deliverable of the draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand, the specialist report brings together extensive mineral deposit research, geological, geochemical, and geophysical studies and mapping, and GIS-based mineral prospectivity mapping.
A draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand — Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
While most of New Zealand’s current mineral production is in gold, iron sands and coal, the report finds that heavy mineral sands with ilmenite and co- and by-products of rare earth elements, and silica gravels are key opportunities in the short and medium-term.
Longer term, the report highlights exploration potential for placer gold, non-metallic minerals such as high-grade limestone and perlite, antimony as a by-product of gold mining, copper, platinum group metals, tungsten and offshore seafloor ferromanganese nodules.
Opportunities for New Zealand to increase self-sufficiency in raw minerals valuable to the economy was also explored and the report found phosphate, glauconite and sulphur, which are all used in fertilisers, could be developed locally in the future.
The Government is committed to a strategic, long-term approach to the development of natural resources in New Zealand, and the findings of the report will be used to inform policy advice and influence decisions across the sector, as a tool in attracting explorers and investors.
The mineral potential of New Zealand report by GNS