Crown Minerals Act 1991 Programmes

In August 2025, two new minerals programmes were issued.

The Programmes

The Crown Minerals Act 1991 (CMA) is currently supported by two Programmes (the 'Programmes').

Minerals Programme for Petroleum 2025 [PDF 2.4MB] (the Petroleum Programme)

Minerals Programme for Minerals (Excluding Petroleum) 2025 [PDF 5.2MB] (the Minerals Programme)

The Programmes are a form of secondary legislation that set out how the Minister for Resources and the Chief Executive of MBIE will exercise their powers and interpret and apply specific provisions in the CMA and associated regulations. This includes how they will have regard to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi. The Programmes also provide general operational guidance and information about the operation of the regime.

2025 update to the Programmes

In 2025, as part of a package of work to give effect to changes to the CMA, including the reversal of the ban on petroleum exploration outside onshore Taranaki, the Programmes were updated.

The update focused on three areas:

Ensuring the Programmes were consistent with changes to the CMA and associated regulations since the last update in 2013. For example, the Programmes provide information about how iwi and hapū can request a meeting facilitated by the Chief Executive of MBIE with a Tier 1 permit holder about their iwi engagement report and they also provide a new decommissioning chapter in the Petroleum Programme.
Reflecting the policy decisions and amendments associated with the Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025. For example, including a new chapter in the Minerals Programme about Tier 3 minerals permits and providing for the open market application process for petroleum prospecting and exploration permits.
Providing technical changes for regulatory efficiency. For example, the Minerals Programme now provides how applications over existing minerals permits for minerals of the same mineral group will be managed.

In the 2025 update to the Programmes, some information was incorporated by reference into the Programmes:

If you have other changes you think should be made to the Programmes, you can contact our team at nzpam@mbie.govt.nz. We will consider your feedback for the next update of the Programmes.

Previous minerals and petroleum programmes

Some permits, licences or decisions will continue to be regulated by older minerals programmes. If you have questions about which Programme applies to your permit or licence, please contact us at nzpam@mbie.govt.nz.