How we’ll get there

Strategy actions

Improve data on New Zealand’s mineral resources

Within the first year

We will engage Geological and Nuclear Sciences Limited to complete a detailed stock take of New Zealand’s known mineral potential.

Within the first 3 years

• We will improve the collection of Crown and private mineral data to better understand our mineral
  production statistics.
• We will investigate growth pathway modelling to inform the potential of the sector into the future.
• We will find out more about deep-seabed minerals and assess the challenges and opportunities of extracting
  them.

Ensure secure, affordable and responsible access to the minerals we need

Within the first year

• We will develop a list of critical minerals that are key to our economic needs and strategic interests.
• We will identify when and where supply risk for critical minerals exists, so that we can take action to reduce
  vulnerability.

Within the first 3 years

• We will explore how minerals listed as critical could be provided with preferential pathways for development.

Develop a more enduring, efficient and responsible regulatory framework

Within the first year

• We will develop a one-stop shop fast-track approvals regime to accelerate the development of regional and
  national projects of significance, including mining projects.
• We will progress amendments to the Resource Management Act 1991 and its national direction to improve
  consenting processes and ensure it provides an enabling and enduring framework for responsible
  development.
• We will progress regulatory changes that grow our minerals sector in a way that protects Treaty settlements
  through constructive engagement with local communities, Māori, and industry stakeholders in decision-making processes.
• We will maintain current permitting and access arrangement settings in relation to public conservation land.
• We will improve the efficiency of New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals permitting functions to enhance the
  speed of Crown Minerals Act permitting processes and to remove the minerals permitting queue.
• We will set targets for processing Crown Minerals permits and report on these publicly every quarter.

Within the first 3 years

We will investigate the efficiency of the Crown Minerals Act system as it relates to the allocation and management of emerging minerals such as natural hydrogen.

Foster sector innovation, value add and commercialisation, and workforce development

Within the first year

We will identify suitable funding mechanisms to assist science, innovation, and technology to boost economic opportunities and returns from the minerals sector.

Within the first 3 years

• We will collaborate with the sector to identify and connect key research, and innovation opportunities to
  inform future investment, and explore the potential of establishing a minerals leadership research hub or
  group.
• We will encourage the sector to increase local workforce input in mining projects through employment,
  training, and contracts for services.
• We will encourage skills and training programmes that aim to grow and retain a skilled workforce.
• We will encourage industry to process, refine, and uptake other downstream capabilities to add value to our extracted minerals.

Within 10 years

We will support innovations that progress the development of products used in or in connection with mining, such as exploration and drilling technology, safety solutions and transport, including prospects for technology exports.

Accelerate a circular economy of critical minerals in New Zealand

Within the first 3 years

• We will promote the investigation, innovation and establishment of minerals recovery, re-use and recycling technologies.
• We will identify funding mechanisms for research and innovation to occur within a circular resource development, use, and re-use framework.

Increase public knowledge and confidence in the sector

Within the first year

• We will provide the public with accurate data on New Zealand’s demand and supply of minerals.
• We explore how to increase the visibility of decision-making on mineral activities.
• We will encourage the sector to increase the amount of, and share with the public, contributions it makes to
  communities and the environment.

Within the first 3 years

• We will monitor and report on the social, environmental and community effects of mining on our regional
  communities.
• We will encourage the sector to work with relevant authorities to improve social outcomes related to new
  mining projects in regional New Zealand, including issues such as housing demand.

Attract investment and build international partnerships

Within the first year

We will promote investment opportunities in New Zealand to increase the scale and pace of development.

Within the first 3 years

• We will engage with countries to identify opportunities for collaboration and joint initiatives for the international trade of minerals.
• We will support New Zealand companies to participate overseas in diversified, responsible, and transparent supply chains
• We will work with and support international partners to diversify global mineral supply to build secure, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.

Review cycle

We will take an iterative approach to this strategy, with a one-year review. Following this, we plan to conduct reviews at
least every 3 years.

Measuring success

All actions in this strategy will be evaluated, monitored, and incorporated into established governance and accountability
arrangements across relevant government agencies, with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) acting as lead agency. We will measure success across the 3 pillars of the strategy.

Our strategic pillars

1. Enhancing prosperity for New Zealanders.
2. Demonstrating the sector’s value.
3. Delivering minerals for a clean energy transition.

Enhancing prosperity for New Zealanders

Success looks like regulatory efficiency and economic value.

Progress will be measured by complete annual impact assessments against the following
indicators:

• Tracking export revenues and Crown revenue from the
  New Zealand minerals sector.
• Tracking growth in mining-related jobs.
• Tracking processing timeframes for minerals permit
  applications and volume of applications waiting in permitting queue.

Demonstrating the sector’s value

Success looks like strategic development of New Zealand’s minerals delivering net social, environmental and economic benefits.

Progress will be measured by complete annual benchmarking against the following indicators:

• Improved health and safety outcomes across mining
  operations.
• Growing sector investment in research, development,
  and innovation.
• Improved reporting on environmental, cultural, and social net benefits to their communities

Delivering minerals for a clean energy transition

Success looks like New Zealand contributes to stable and resilient global mineral supply chains.

Progress will be measured by complete an annual assessment to check:

• Clear understanding of New Zealand’s export opportunities for minerals enabling clean technologies.
• International collaboration on ways to develop secure supply of the minerals needed for the clean energy transition.

Having your say

We are seeking feedback on our draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand. More information on what and how to submit is available on the following page:

Have your say | Proposed Minerals strategy to 2040

Send your submission to resourcesfeedback@mbie.govt.nz by 5pm on 31 July 2024.

For any questions or help with submission, please contact resourcesfeedback@mbie.govt.nz

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