Fast-track Approvals pathway

The fast-track approvals legislation was passed by Parliament in December 2024. It provides an efficient and streamlined decision-making process for projects of regional and national significance.

This means that applicants can seek multiple approvals to extract minerals or resources through a more efficient, one-stop shop.

The fast-track process is administered by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The Minister for Infrastructure makes decisions on whether a project will be referred to the fast-track process for consideration and an expert panel decides which projects are approved and sets any conditions.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to use the fast-track process to apply for a mining permit, applicants must:

• hold an exploration permit issued under the Crown Minerals Act 1991 (CMA) and have successfully discovered a mineral deposit relating to that exploration permit; or
• have existing privileges as defined in the CMA eg a gold mining licence; and
• have more than three months remaining on their exploration permit, or existing privilege, before it expires, when applying for a substantive application.

Applicants must ensure that their application does not include an activity that will make their application ineligible. Read about the meaning of an ineligible activity in the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 on the New Zealand Legislation website.

New Zealand Legislation — legislation.govt.nz

Options for applying for a mining permit

1. Applicants can apply for a mining permit and multiple approvals under the fast-track process.
2. Applicants can apply for a mining permit under the existing CMA process and apply for other approvals either through the fast-track process or through existing relevant regulatory processes.

Read more about applying for a minerals mining permit and applying for a petroleum mining permit under the CMA process on the New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZPAM) website.

Apply for a minerals mining permit

Apply for a petroleum mining permit

How to apply for a mining permit       

• An applicant should talk to the New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZP&M) team if they are thinking about applying for a mining permit. NZP&M will provide an overview of the process, timeframes and charges.
• Once an applicant has decided to apply, or they are in the process of getting their application ready, they need to contact NZP&M to arrange a pre-lodgement consultation meeting. This meeting gives applicants a chance to talk about their project and NZP&M a chance to explain the process and timeframes in detail.

Applicants can contact NZP&M by emailing nzpam@mbie.govt.nz

Once pre-lodgement consultation is complete, applicants can submit an application via the fast-track process. This can take place from 7 February 2025. 

Further information will be provided in the New Year.