Minerals sector gaining momentum under strategy

One year on from the launch of A Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040, a progress review shows the Government is delivering on its vision for a modern, productive and enduring minerals sector that supports jobs, regional growth and long-term prosperity, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.

“When we launched the Minerals Strategy in 2025, we addressed a longstanding challenge that had held the sector back for decades – the absence of a clear direction and a credible plan for growth,” Mr Jones says.

“Over the past year, we have moved quickly from strategy to delivery. We have advanced a significant programme of policy, regulatory and investment initiatives that are restoring confidence, attracting interest and laying the foundations for enduring growth.

“We have delivered the key enablers needed to unlock New Zealand’s mineral potential - establishing our first Critical Minerals List, strengthening global partnerships, improving access to our world-class geoscience data, promoting investment opportunities, and advancing reforms to create a more efficient and predictable regulatory framework.

“Together, these actions are giving investors and operators the certainty they need to make long-term decisions. Investment follows confidence, and confidence is built on clear policy, efficient regulation and a predictable operating environment. With the foundations in place, we are starting to see the results.”

Mineral exports have increased from $1.46 billion in 2023 to around $2.5 billion in 2025, putting New Zealand within reach of the strategy's goal of doubling mineral exports to $3 billion by 2035. 

Minerals production is increasing across the sector, with gold output rising by approximately 17 per cent to around 250,000 ounces annually. In 2025/26, the sector is expected to generate more than $30 million in royalties, alongside hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate and income tax contributions that help fund public services and infrastructure. 

Employment across the sector grew from 5230 jobs in 2024 to 5520 jobs in 2025. Resources projects typically have multi‑decade lifespans, providing sustained economic activity and offer greater certainty for regions, workers and local businesses.

Permitting activity is also at record levels. New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals received 551 permit applications in 2025, up from 450 in 2024, and made 521 permitting decisions — well above the historical annual average of 363 decisions since 2017.

“Behind every export dollar, every new permit and every extracted ounce is a worker, a contractor, a regional business and a community benefitting from the jobs, infrastructure, raw materials and opportunities a strong minerals sector helps create,” Mr Jones says.

“With momentum building, our focus is turning to the next phase of sector growth - positioning New Zealand to seize emerging opportunities in critical minerals.

Over the next year, the Government will focus on growing international partnerships, attracting investment, progressing a review of minerals royalty settings, and supporting implementation of major reforms already underway, including resource management reforms. 

Further work will also be undertaken to examine how New Zealand can maximise value from critical minerals across the full value chain, including processing, refining, recycling, recovery and specialist services. Targeted investment, including the $80 million ringfenced in the Regional Infrastructure Fund, is supporting innovation and building capability in these areas.

"The first year of our Minerals Strategy has been about establishing direction and delivering reform. The years ahead will be about converting that momentum into growth, investment, jobs and opportunity – activities that ultimately benefit all New Zealanders,” Mr Jones says.

"We have done the groundwork. Now it is time to back our potential, seize the opportunities ahead and build a minerals sector worthy of our ambitions.”

Read more on the one-year review of the Minerals Strategy at  https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/32297-minerals-strategy-report-card-and-delivery-roadmap-2026 ...