A Critical Minerals List for New Zealand
The Government has finalised a Critical Minerals List to identify minerals essential to New Zealand’s economy and technological needs, including clean energy and international trade.
On this page
This is the web version of A Critical Minerals List for New Zealand.
Download the PDF:
The Critical Minerals List
New Zealand’s first Critical Minerals List includes 37 minerals, which are listed below in alphabetical order.
- Aggregate & Sand
- Aluminium
- Antimony
- Arsenic
- Beryllium
- Bismuth
- Boron
- Cesium
- Chromium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Fluorspar
- Gallium
- Germanium
- Gold
- Graphite
- Indium
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Metallurgical coal
- Molybdenum
- Nickel
- Niobium
- Phosphate
- Platinum Group Metals
- Potassium (Potash)
- Rare Earth Elements
- Rubidium
- Selenium
- Silicon
- Strontium
- Tellurium
- Titanium
- Tungsten
- Vanadium
- Zinc
- Zirconium
The need for a list
Minerals are essential to modern economies; their use in key industries and products supports economic growth and stability, national security, and technological advancement. In New Zealand, we produce many of the minerals we need, such as aggregate for roading and construction. We also import minerals, either as raw materials or within products, such as those used for clean technology, electronics, aviation, and medical equipment.
Developing a list of critical minerals is an important first step to ensure a secure supply of the minerals we need for our economic growth and resilience. The list developed identifies the minerals that are economically important and are vulnerable to supply risk or essential to unlocking other critical minerals.
The list provides a basis for strategic actions to support secure mineral supply chains here and overseas, strengthen our relationships with international partners, and help ensure we achieve the Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040 goal of doubling minerals exports to $3 billion by 2035.
How the list will be used
The Government will explore strategic pathways and wider system settings to support the development and supply of the minerals on the list that are, or can be, produced in New Zealand. For the minerals on the list that we don’t produce, we will engage with our international partners to support supply chain resilience.
How the list was developed
The list was informed by analysis undertaken by Wood Mackenzie (a global research and consultancy firm) in consultation with stakeholders. The analysis considered minerals that are economically important to New Zealand and/or in demand by our international partners and are vulnerable to international or domestic supply disruptions.
Through public consultation, submitters provided constructive feedback and insights which included advocating for gold, coal, lithium, garnet, alumina, sulphur, silver, and several other minerals to be included on the list. Most of these minerals were not included as they did not meet the supply risk threshold for being added to the list.
In addition to the list recommended by Wood Mackenzie, Cabinet also decided to include gold and metallurgical coal because of their importance to New Zealand’s economy and to achieving our goal of doubling mineral exports by 2035. Both are vital to New Zealand's mining sector and enable exploration and development of other critical minerals.
A summary of submissions is available on the consultation page.
Consultation on a draft critical minerals list for New Zealand
Final Wood Mackenzie Report on the Development of a Critical Minerals List for New Zealand [PDF 504KB]
Updating the list
The criticality of minerals can change over time as supply and demand shift, reliance on imports varies, and new technologies emerge. New Zealand’s Critical Minerals List will be reviewed periodically by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to ensure it is fit for purpose, and some minerals may be added or removed based on their criticality during each review cycle.
Further information about the list of critical minerals
Minerals currently produced in New Zealand
Aggregate and Sand
Aluminium
Arsenic
Gold
Metallurgical coal
Rare Earth Elements
Silicon
Titanium
Vanadium
Zirconium
Minerals with the potential to be produced in New Zealand
Antimony
Bismuth
Cesium
Chromium
Cobalt
Copper
Magnesium
Phosphate
Platinum Group Metals
Rubidium
Tungsten
Minerals that New Zealand relies on but does not produce and has low/no known potential to produce
Beryllium
Boron
Fluorspar
Gallium
Germanium
Graphite
Indium
Manganese
Molybdenum
Nickel
Niobium
Potassium (Potash)
Selenium
Strontium
Tellurium
Zinc
Disclaimer: As the critical minerals lists of different jurisdictions are reviewed and revised periodically, the information regarding the critical minerals lists of other jurisdictions is subject to change.