A draft critical minerals list for New Zealand – Summary

Minerals enable our economy

Minerals underpin every aspect of our modern world and if access was suddenly restricted to some of New Zealand’s enabling minerals there would be serious implications. The draft critical minerals list identifies minerals that are essential to our economic functions, are in demand by international partners, and face high risks to supply domestically and internationally.

Delivering a critical minerals list is a key action of the draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand. Once finalised, the list will contribute to New Zealand’s work on critical international supply chains and allow the Government to investigate specific actions for securing better access to the minerals deemed critical. This could include strategic pathways for development of specific minerals.

A draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040

Defining a critical mineral

The definition of a mineral in the Crown Minerals Act 1991 (CMA) is “a naturally occurring inorganic substance beneath or at the surface of the earth, whether or not under water and includes all metallic minerals, non-metallic minerals, fuel minerals, precious stones, industrial rocks and building stones, and a prescribed substance within the meaning of the Atomic Energy Act 1945.”

The same definition has been applied for the purposes of developing the draft critical minerals list, with the exclusion of building or decorative stone and non-solid minerals (such as mercury and liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons) except for helium and hydrogen.

To be included in the draft list, a mineral must be:

• essential to New Zealand’s economy, national security, and technology needs, including renewable energy technologies and components to support our transition to a low emissions future and/or 
• in demand by New Zealand’s international partners, and
• susceptible to supply disruptions domestically and internationally.

Essential is defined as critical to maintaining the New Zealand’s economy today and into the future and not readily substitutable.

Critical minerals included in the draft list

The draft critical minerals list, which has been prepared by Wood Mackenzie, identifies 35 minerals covering a range of applications throughout our economy.