Suze Keith
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai
Conservation House
18 Manners Street,
fyi-request-31649-
PO Box 10420,
[email address]
Wellington 6140
doc.govt.nz
9 October 2025
Ref: OIAD-5481
Tēnā koe Suze
Thank you for your request to the Department of Conservation (DOC), received on 19 July
2025, in which you asked for:
1. I would like all correspondence, consenting materials, reports, documents, meeting
minutes, file notes, etc, you have on record regarding the proposal to develop a series of
open cast goldmines in the Bendigo Ophir - Dunstan Mountains area by Matakanui Gold
/ Santana Minerals. Regardless of whether they are associated with fast track
consenting or any other process.
2. From June 27, 2025 until present day.
We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA).
On 15 August 2025, we extended the timeframe for responding to your request to 26 September
2025, due to the substantial volume of information sought and the time required to compile a
response. On 25 September we provided a small tranche one response, summarising internal
emails held by the Central Otago regional office. On 26 September, we advised that a decision
had been made on the remainder of your request, but additional time was needed to finalise the
material proposed for release.
In our 26 September correspondence, we provided a list of documents being withheld in full, as
well as a list of documents to be released either in full, in part, or in summary form under section
16(1)(e) of the OIA. During the relevant request period, the Department received several reports
from Santana Minerals – both draft and final – that fall within scope. As previously advised,
many of these reports are highly technical and have been withheld in full due to sensitivities
related to the anticipated fast-track consenting application Santana Minerals is expected to
lodge. That list is attached again as Appendix A.
Santana Minerals is required to provide certain materials to the Department during the pre-
application phase for assessment. The Department must carefully balance the release of official
information with the need to preserve Santana’s ability to complete and lodge an application.
We aim to avoid prejudicing that process.
In the interest of transparency, we are releasing high-level summaries of selected reports under
section 16(1)(e) of the OIA. These are listed in the document schedule attached as Appendix B,
along with the remaining information within scope of your request, including correspondence
and additional documents. Where applicable, email attachments are provided beneath the
relevant email chain, unless they are addressed elsewhere in the document or have been
withheld in full. Some information has been redacted under the following sections of the OIA:
Archaeological sites and lizard locations, under section 6(c) – to avoid prejudice to the
maintenance of the law, including the prevention of offences,

personal information, under section 9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of natural persons,
including deceased people,
commercially sensitive information, under section 9(2)(b)(ii) – to protect the commercial
position of the person who supplied the information, or who is the subject of the
information,
information provided in confidence, under section 9(2)(ba)(i) – to protect information
where release would prejudice the ongoing supply of similar information.
free and frank expression under section 9(2)(g)(i) – to maintain the effective conduct of
public affairs,
confidential information, under section 9(2)(j) – to enable the Crown to negotiate
without disadvantage or prejudice.
In making my decision to withhold information under section 9, I have considered the public
interest and determined that it does not outweigh the grounds for withholding.
Information and documents provided by Santana Minerals Ltd reflect a specific point in time and
may not represent what is now held by DOC. I note additional information is being assessed for
release for a further request for official information (OIAD-5593). Additionally, although certain
reports are currently withheld or summarised, they will become publicly available once the
anticipated application is lodged.
You are entitled to seek an investigation and review of my decision by writing to an
Ombudsman as provided by section 28(3) of the OIA.
Please note that this letter (with your personal details removed) and attached documents may
be published on DOC’s website.
Nāku noa, nā
Siobhan Quayle
Director Regulatory Systems Performance
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai
2
Appendix A
Document withheld in full
Document description
Withholding grounds
Aquatic Ecology Assessment
9(2)(ba)(i)
250528 Aquatic Assessment Report Bendigo_FINAL.docx
9(2)(g)(i)
Mammalian Pest Survey
9(2)(ba)(i)
20250515_BOGP_Mammalian_Pest_Report_v001.pdf
9(2)(g)(i)
Terrestrial Invertebrate Survey
9(2)(ba)(i), 9(2)(g)(i)
20250519_BOGP_Terrestrial_Invertebrate_Survey_Final_v001.pdf
Socio-economic Baseline
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(j)
BOGP_SE Baseline_v2.0_final.pdf
Economic Impacts Report
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(j)
Economic impacts of the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project_FINAL
(1).pdf
Archaeological Management Plan
9(2)(ba)(i), 9(2)(g)(i)
J011821_AMP_REV A 1.pdf
Heritage Assessment
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(ba)(i)
J011821_BOGP HA_May 2025
Heritage – Construction Camp
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(ba)(i)
J012084_Camp HA_May 2025.pdf
Recreation Assessment
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(j)
Matakanui Bendigo-Ophir recreation assessment Final 12 June
2025.pdf
Integrated Transport Assessment
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(j)
310206156_bogp_ita_250513_final_FTA.pdf
Construction TMP
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(j)
Matakanui Gold Limited Construction TMP Final Draft.docx
Landscape Effects Assessment
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(j)
Landscape, Natural Character and Visual Assesment.pdf
Surface Water Effects Assessment
9(2)(b)(ii), 9(2)(ba)(i)
Surface_Water_Effects_Rpt-Z24002BOG-2 (FINAL).pdf
3
Appendix B
Document schedule – reports provided by Santana Minerals Ltd
Item
Date
Document description
Decision
1
27 June – 19 Email correspondence
Partial
July 2025
release
2
28 March 2025
Magazine & Emulsion Tank
Summary
J012082_Emulsion Tanks 2025 (1).pdf
3
17 April 2025
Ardgour Rise Realignment
Partial
J012109_AGR_April 2025.pdf
release
4
20 April 2025
CIT Battery Access Track
Partial
J012137_CIT Track_April 2025.pdf
release
5
30 April 2025
Groundwater Effects Assessment
Summary
Gw_Effects_Rpt-Z24002BOG-1(FINAL).pdf
6
30 April 2025
Groundwater Bore Take Assessment
Summary
Gw_Take_Effects_Rpt-Z24019SML-3 FINAL
provided
7
12 May 2025
Groundwater Modelling Analysis
Summary
hardrock_bog_report_2025_05_12 FINAL
8
13 May 2025
Noise & Vibration Assessment
Summary
Rp 001 R02 20230685 Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project- Assessment
Of Noise Effects _ FINAL.pdf
9
15 May 2025
Exterior Lighting Report
Summary
CQ24020 BOGP Exterior Lighting Report Rev C FINAL.pdf
10
15 May 2025
Surface Water Effects Assessment
Summary
Surface_Water_Effects_Rpt-Z24002BOG-2 (FINAL).pdf
11
15 May 2025
Native Bat Survey
Summary
20250515_BOGP_Native_Bat_Survey_Final_v001.pdf
12
27 May 2025
Bond Introduction
Summary
Matakanui Bond Introduction-e.pdf
13
5 June 2025
Air Quality Assessment
Summary
Air Quality C051440001R003.pdf
14
5 Jun 2025
Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project Mine Closure Plan
Summary
J-NZ0454-002-R-Rev1-MCP.pdf
15
8 July 2025
Visual Simulations
Partial
Landscape Visual Simulations.pdf
release
16
29 July 2025
GIS shape files
Summary
17
29 July 2025
DOC Document Register
Full
release
4