Facts and Figures

Highlights

For the fifth year in a row, the value of commodities mined and quarried in New Zealand has increased. The value of national coal, metals and industrial minerals production reached approximately $1.606 billion in 2007, an increase of approximately 6.9% on the 2006 output. The strong growth in production has been buoyed by increases in commodity prices and corresponding increases in investment expenditure. 

Gold & Silver

Based on average of sale values reported in Royalty Returns:

• Gold - $30,611.88 per kg ($952.128NZD per ounce or $671.379USD per ounce at the TWI (Trade Weighted Index) rate of $1NZ=$0.6801US (figures taken from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand)

• Silver - $583.33 NZD per kg ($ US411.357 per kg) 

Gold Production(kg) 1993-2007

Ironsand

Waikato – North Head

1.160 million tonnes of sand was reported to have been mined this year at the Waikato North Head mine. The deposit reportedly contains more than 150 million tonnes of ironsand.

Taharoa

Mining commenced in 1972. Since then, New Zealand Steel Mining has provided continuous supply to its North Asian customer base, with peak annual exports of two million tonnes in the late 1970s. This year 562,798 tonnes of ironsand has been reported to have been mined.

Steel

Unfortunately, NZ Steel do not supply the values of production figures this year (as they have deemed them too commercially sensitive).

Industrial Minerals

Industrial minerals production increased slightly between 2006 and 2007 (0.7%).
The total value of all industrial minerals produced in 2007 was just under $592 million, representing a 6.1% increase from 2006. Key product value increases over 2006 include; Rock, Sand and Gravel for building (12.6%) and Rock, Sand and Gravel for roading (6.8%). However, some core Industrial Minerals were observed to have decreased such as Rock for Reclamation & Protection (-47.5%) and Sand for Industry (-24.6%)

Aggregate Production 1994-2007

Production data

• 2007 Mining Production Statistics [144 kB XLS]
• 2006 Mining Production Statistics [107 kB XLS]
• 2005 Mining Production Statistics [67 kB XLS]
• 2004 Mining Production Statistics [71 kB XLS]
• 2003 Mining Production Statistics [63 kB XLS]
• 2002 Mining Production Statistics [54 kB XLS]
• 2001 Mining Production Statistics [52 kB XLS]
• 2000 Mining Production Statistics [50 kB XLS]
• 1970-1999 Mining Production Statistics [263 kB XLS]

Expenditure Statistics

• 1999-2008 Expenditure Statistics [64 kB XLS]

Prospecting and exploration expenditure

Includes all expenditure on prospecting and exploration activities within permits, other than expenditure on consents and agreements, legal fees, the purchase of plant and equipment, office and administrative expenses, or the amount of any fees related to the permit.

Consents and agreements expenditure

Includes expenditure on legal fees in obtaining and maintaining access arrangements and resource consents relating to prospecting and exploration.

Other expenditure

Includes expenditure on plant and equipment, office and administrative expenses, fees, restoration costs and other expenditure related to permits. 

Please note: The information provided on the Mining Production and Exploration/Prospecting Expenditure statistics is intended to provide general information to the public and although every effort has been taken to ensure that the information set out is accurate, visitors to this website are advised that the information provided for industrial mineral commodities is based on an industry-wide survey, and variations in yearly production may be due to information not being supplied during the survey period.