Mining in National Parks

Mar 2010

On 22 March 2010, the Government released a discussion document for public consultation on potential changes to Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991 (“the Act”).  Schedule 4 restricts mineral related activity in specified public conservation areas.  The discussion document is the result of a full stock-take of public conservation areas listed in Schedule 4.  The discussion document can be obtained from the Ministry of Economic Development website: http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/MultipageDocumentTOC____42792.aspx

The discussion document reaches four main conclusions:

  1. New Zealand is mineral rich and the environmentally responsible development of this potential is a very real possibility.
  2. Much of the country’s mineral potential is concentrated, often in public conservation areas with high conservation and cultural values.
  3. The mineral potential of Schedule 4 lands could be developed with only a very small proportion of the land being directly impacted.
  4. Information on New Zealand’s mineral potential is limited and Government has a role to improve our knowledge of the mineral estate.

The discussion document proposes that a total of 7,058 hectares of land be removed from Schedule 4.  The 7,058 is made up of a range of classes of conservation land, from stewardship land to national park.

The location of the areas proposed for removal from Schedule 4 are as follows:

  • Te Ahumata Plateau on Great Barrier Island (705ha)
  • Sections of conservation land on the Coromandel Peninsula amounting to 3.7 percent of public conservation land (or 1.5 percent of total land) on the peninsula (2,574ha)
  • Otahu Ecological Area, Coromandel region (396ha)
  • Parakawai Geological Area, Coromandel region (68ha)
  • The Inangahua section of Paparoa National Park (3,315ha)

For certain other areas the discussion document is proposing to invest in gathering more information on the specific mineral potential of these areas to identify what small targeted areas could be considered in the future for removal from Schedule 4.

Some public conservation areas have been identified as appropriate for addition to Schedule 4.  These areas comprise six marine reserves, two scientific reserves, one nature reserve, two scenic reserves, and recent additions to three national parks.

The Government is now seeking public feedback on the discussion document.  Submission forms can be downloaded and/or filled in online at www.med.govt.nz/Schedule4.

Responses are due by 5pm on Wednesday 26 May 2010.  Please contact our Resource Management Team if you have any questions, or if you would like any assistance in preparing a submission.