Facts and Figures

Gold & Silver

Based on average of sale values reported in Royalty Returns:

• Gold - $38,466.85 NZD per kg ($1,196.46NZD per ounce or $813.03USD per ounce at the Trade Weighted index of $1NZD=$0.6801USD as at June 2008 (figures taken from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand)

• Silver – $611.40 NZD per kg ($415.81 USD per kg)
   

Gold Production(kg) 1993-2008

Ironsand 

Waikato – North Head

1.3 million tonnes of sand was reported to have been mined this year at the Waikato North Head mine. The deposit 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 672,732 tonnes of ironsand has been reported to have been mined.

Industrial Minerals

Aggregate Production 1994-2008

Production data

• 2008 Mining Production Statistics [91 kB XLS]
• 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

During the 2008 year, a change in expenditure reporting requirements for prospecting and exploration permits came into effect under regulation 37 of the Crown Minerals (Minerals and Coal) Regulations 2007. Expenditure is now reported for a 12 month period from the permit anniversary date, as opposed to being for a period from the 1 April YYYY to 31 March YYYY in previous years for all permits. Please note this change if comparing the aggregated data prior to 2008/2009.

Expenditure Statistics

• 1999-2009 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.