Ref: DOIA 2122-1811
13 April 2022
Chuck Schooner
Email: [FYI request #18869 email]
Dear Chuck
Thank you for your email of 17 March 2022 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(the Ministry), requesting the following information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“Can you please provide al of the information held on New Zealand's natural resources.
Gold Reserves / Deposits Information and total estimated value to the Crown Silver Reserves / Deposits
Information and total estimated value to the Crown Uranium Reserves / Deposits Information and total
estimated value to the Crown Petroleum and Natural Gas / Reserves Information and total estimated
value to the Crown
Ultimately if it could be provided in the following format
Location
Mined - Yes or No
Resource - Gold or Petroleum
Estimated Value”
The Ministry periodically publishes petroleum reserves (including gas) data on its website. This
information is compiled using annual summary reports submitted by permit holders. The latest
publication includes reserves data as at January 2021 and can be accessed here:
www.mbie.govt.nz/building-and-energy/energy-and-natural-resources/energy-statistics-and-
modelling/energy-statistics/petroleum-reserves-data . Please note the disclaimer regarding the accuracy
and completeness of the reserves data. The Ministry is therefore refusing this part of your request under
section 18(d) of the Act (that the information is publicly available).
Resources and reserves are reported for both gold and silver. The attached Excel spreadsheet give details
of these for the 2020 calendar year (the most up to date the Ministry holds). The gold and silver figures
in the spreadsheet relate to operations by the following companies and under the following permits
(presented in alphabetical order):
Companies
Operations
Permits
Region(s)
Development stage
Matakanui Gold
60311
Otago
Being developed
Limited
New Talisman Gold
Talisman
51326
Waikato
Being developed
Mines Limited
New Zealand Tungsten Glenorchy
40547
Otago
Being developed
Mining Limited
Oceana Gold (New
Macraes
41064, 52738
Otago
Actively mined +
Zealand) Limited
Snowy River
60473
West Coast ongoing development
Waihi
Being developed
Wharekirauponga 41808
Waikato
60541
Waikato
Actively mined +
ongoing development
Being developed
Details of where these permits/operations are located are available by searching the permit numbers on
the Minerals Webmap:
https://data.nzpam.govt.nz/permitwebmaps/?commodity=minerals
In addition, information available in the public domain that you may find helpful can be found at these
websites:
Annual minerals industry statistics, including gold and silver production since 1970:
https://www.nzpam.govt.nz/nz-industry/nz-minerals/minerals-statistics/industry-statistics/
The Exploration Database – a collection of free geoscience exploration data and reports:
https://www.nzpam.govt.nz/maps-geoscience/exploration-database/
The Ministry holds no information on reserves or resources for uranium. The Ministry is therefore refusing
this part of your request under section 18(e) of the Act (that the document alleged to contain the
information requested does not exist).
The Ministry does not calculate the royalty value of resources and reserves left. The Ministry is therefore
refusing this part of your request under section 18(e) of the Act (that the document alleged to contain
the information requested does not exist).
Information on petroleum royalty revenues is published on the New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals
website at the following link:
www.nzpam.govt.nz/nz-industry/nz-minerals/minerals-statistics/industry-
statistics/ . The Ministry is therefore refusing this part of your request under section 18(d) of the Act (that
the information is publicly available).
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision, in accordance
with section 28(3) of the Act. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
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Yours sincerely
Susan Baas
National Manager Petroleum and Minerals
Energy and Resource Markets
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