Developing our minerals sector
The petroleum and minerals sectors are an important part of an export-led focus for the New Zealand economy, and the Government is working to cut barriers - not corners.
Mining is a net positive to the country, economically, socially and environmentally, and New Zealand has significant minerals reserves that remain largely unexplored.
Many of the world’s major minerals economic reserves are already explored or extracted. The Government is enabling the sector in New Zealand to capitalise on global demand opportunities for minerals in a Tier 1 low risk country. This includes being part of the solution for minerals needed for low emissions technologies.
We aim to:
- enhance New Zealand’s regional opportunities
- make a positive difference to Māori iwi and hapū across the country through co-investment
- boost job opportunities
- increase the country’s self-sufficiency.
New Zealand is a desirable country for mining, with recognised Tier 1 deposits. We have a strong democracy, and a unicameral government. Our health, safety and employment laws are world-class, and we have a strong adherence to contract law. New Zealand consistently ranks in the top 3 countries in the world for transparency.
The Government took significant steps in 2025 to revitalise the minerals sector. These steps include:
- amending the Crown Minerals Act 1991 to improve regulatory processes (expected to pass into law mid-2025)
- launching ‘A Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040’, outlining plans to double exports in 10 years
- releasing a critical minerals list (uniquely including gold and metallurgical coal)
- legislating the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, creating a one-stop shop for consenting and approvals in a predictable timeframe
- making changes to the Resource Management Act 1991 (currently in progress).
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
The Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (the Act) has established a permanent approvals regime across several government portfolios and Acts of legislation for projects of national and regional significance. The Act’s purpose statement recognises the contributions significant projects (such as mining) can make to our communities and economy. Organisations can use the fast-track initiative to apply for petroleum and minerals mining permits.
Fast-track approvals provide an efficient, predictable, and streamlined decision-making process while ensuring environmental protections are in place. Those eligible to use the fast-track process can seek multiple regulatory approvals at once through a single system.
In practical terms this will result in approvals in months rather than years, for investment-ready projects that have completed their feasibility checks.
Fast-track website — fasttrack.govt.nz
Updates to the Crown Minerals Act 1991
In New Zealand the Crown Minerals Act 1991 regulates the petroleum and minerals sectors.
Amendments to this Act are progressing through parliament in 2025 to provide policy settings for a wider minerals plan to meet New Zealand’s energy security challenges. These include:
- reversing the 2018 ban on new petroleum exploration outside of onshore Taranaki, enabling nationwide oil and gas exploration to restart
- improving how petroleum permits are allocated, including the introduction of a 3-month competitive process called open market application (OMA), meaning applicants no longer need to wait for a land release through the block offer process
- removing the 2018 restriction preventing new petroleum permit holders from accessing some Taranaki conservation land for petroleum activities, other than minimum impact activities
- reintroducing the term ‘promote’ into the purpose statement of the Act to signal the Government’s intention to increase mineral and petroleum exploration and production
- making changes to petroleum decommissioning requirements to align with international best practice
- introducing a new Tier 3 for minerals permitting for hobby and recreational gold mining opportunities.
Crown Minerals Act law changes
Launch of ‘A Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040’
In January 2025 the Government launched ‘A Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040’, outlining plans to double minerals exports to $3 billion by 2035.
The strategy includes a delivery roadmap, which sets out the actions the Government will take to achieve the strategy’s goal and vision. The strategy is supported by a critical minerals list which identifies the minerals essential to New Zealand and its partners, and economic and technological needs including clean energy and international trade.
A Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040 [PDF, 3,276 KB] – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
A Critical Minerals List for New Zealand [PDF, 1,268 KB] – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Prospectivity report
New Zealand’s minerals research agency (GNS Science) has also published a specialist geological report. This report summarises New Zealand's onshore and offshore mineral assets. It brings together:
- extensive mineral deposit research
- geological, geochemical, and geophysical studies and mapping
- GIS-based mineral prospectivity mapping.
The report highlights short-, medium- and long-term prospects for minerals development as well as opportunities for New Zealand to increase self-sufficiency in raw minerals that are valuable to the export economy.
Nickel and Cobalt Mineral Potential in New Zealand – New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals Geodata Catalogue
Lithium Mineral Potential in New Zealand – New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals Geodata Catalogue
Rare Earth Element Mineral Potential in New Zealand – New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals Geodata Catalogue
Amendment of Resource Management Act 1991
Changes have been made to the Resource Management Act to align consenting for coal mining with other forms of mining. This will reduce barriers and assist regional economic development.
Amendments to consenting pathways for coal mining – Ministry for the Environment
Petroleum in New Zealand
The petroleum industry in New Zealand has well-developed oil and gas infrastructure and a competitive oil and gas regime.
New Zealand Petroleum Basins – Part One [PDF 7MB]
New Zealand Petroleum Basins – Part Two [PDF 5.5MB]
New Zealand is open for business
The New Zealand minerals sector is showing strong signs of growth:
- increased demand, There has been an increase in new permit applications in 2024-2025, and a 74% increase in the number of outcomes made on minerals applications in 2024
- faster permit processing, year on year
- many mining and minerals companies have been oversubscribed in their capital raises, publicly and privately.
- leading minerals projects have attracted foreign direct investment, including from large superannuation funds.
The New Zealand Government is committed to increasing the economic potential of New Zealand’s mineral assets for the long term. New Zealand is on the agenda for international investors in the minerals sector and invites responsible operators to explore what we have to offer by contacting resourceinvestment@mbie.govt.nz.
Read more about the minerals vision
A new direction for the minerals sector to grow the economy – Beehive.govt.nz
Critical minerals driving West Coast mining revival – Beehive.govt.nz
Large-scale mining on track for 2026 – Beehive.govt.nz
Major milestone reached with launch of Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List – Beehive.govt.nz
Mining stats show a sector delivering for NZ – Beehive.govt.nz
Mineral stocktake shows opportunities for growth – Beehive.govt.nz
Subscribe for updates
Subscribe to updates from the Regulator to receive information about who we are and what we do, and key dates and compliance information for permit holders.
Subscribe to the Regulator’s Update