Further information requests
20 August 2026
At the direction of the panel, the EPA requested further information from the applicant.
Minute 24 of the expert panel (PDF, 734 KB)
Response from the applicant
On 8 September 2026, the applicant provided their response to Minute 24.
- 1. Taharoa Ironsands Limited - Memorandum of Counsel dated 8 September 2026 (PDF, 157 KB)
- 2. Appendix A - Schedule of responses (PDF, 4 MB)
- 3. Appendix B - Updated Draft NIWBMP (PDF, 2 MB)
- 4. Appendix C - Air Quality Response to Panel RFIs for Taharoa Ironsands (PDF, 2 MB)
- 5. Appendix D - R S Sand Limited decision (PDF, 13 MB)
Further response from the applicant
On 17 September 2026, the applicant provided a further response to Minute 24 in regard to attending conferencing on hydrology and hydrogeology on 18 September 2026.
Applicant's letter to expert panel re Mitiwai Stream (PDF, 1 MB)
On 1 October 2026, the applicant provided further response to Minute 24 in regard to the further information request.
Memorandum of Counsel on behalf of Taharoa Ironsands Limited dated 1 October 2026 (PDF, 264 KB)
Appendix A – TIL's final written responses to the Panel's Further RFI (PDF, 10.8 MB)
Appendix C – Updated set of proposed conditions prepared by Grant Eccles (T+T) (PDF, 8.1 MB)
Appendix D – Letter to the Panel from Mr Modher Barakat dated 17 September 2026 (PDF, 1 MB)
Appendix E – Geological Model of the Taharoa Ironsands Mine (PDF, 7.2 MB)
Appendix G – Written approval to TIL'S resource consent application by Peggy Willison (PDF, 573 KB)
Appendix H – Response to RFI 12 by Proprietors of Taharoa C Block Incorporated (PDF, 189 KB)
28 July 2026
The panel requested further information from the applicant and the experts of all parties who attended the panel-facilitated conference.
Minute 21 of the expert panel (PDF, 180 KB)
Appendix 1 to Minute 22 (PDF, 113 KB)
On 30 July 2026, the expert panel issued an addendum to Appendix 1.
Addendum 1 to Appendix 1 (PDF, 47 KB)
On 13 August 2026, the expert panel issued a second addendum to Appendix 1.
Addendum 2 to Appendix 1 (PDF, 125 KB)
As reflected in Minute 23 of the expert panel, the panel agreed to the applicant’s response being due on 1 September 2026.
Minute 23 of the expert panel (PDF, 210 KB)
14 July 2026
The panel requested further information from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and the Māori Heritage Council on 14 July 2026.
Minute 21 of the expert panel (PDF, 180 KB)
Responses
On 21 July 2026, the expert panel received the following responses to the further information request.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and the Māori Heritage Council
HNZPT memorandum of counsel dated 21 July 2026 (PDF, 425 KB)
29 June 2026
The panel requested further information from the applicant on 29 June 2026.
Minute 17 of the expert panel (PDF, 239 KB)
Appendix 1 to Minute 17 (PDF, 515 KB)
As reflected in Minute 19 of the expert panel, the panel agreed to consider the applicant’s response if received by 17 July 2026.
Minute 19 of the expert panel (PDF, 174 KB)
Responses
On 17 July 2026, the expert panel received the response below from the applicant to the further information request.
On 23 July 2026 the applicant provided an updated version of Attachment 1, which supersedes the version provided on 17 July 2026.
The applicant
- Taharoa Ironsands Limited Memorandum of Counsel dated 17 July 2026 (PDF, 157 KB)
- Attachment 1 - Taharoa Ironsands Limiteds response to the Panels RFI 23 July 2026 (PDF, 2 MB)
- Superseded Attachment 1 - Taharoa Ironsands Limiteds response to the Panels RFI 17 July 2026 (PDF, 4 MB)
- Appendix A - Aerial image of Taharoa - 1961 (JPG, 14 MB)
- Appendix B - Aerial image of Taharoa - 1974 (JPG, 11 MB)
- Appendix C - Consolidated wetland maps (PDF, 2 MB)
- Appendix D - Updated wetland tables (PDF, 361 KB)
- Appendix E - Updated Figure 5 (PDF, 1 MB)
- Appendix F - NIWBMP tracked changes (PDF, 1 MB)
- Appendix G - Updated Figure 2 (PDF, 814 KB)
- Appendix H - Dotterel map (PDF, 777 KB)
- Appendix I - Groundwater drawdown maps (PDF, 18 MB)
- Appendix J - Aerial mining activities 2023-2025 (PDF, 1 MB)
- Appendix K - Updated harvest plan (PDF, 2 MB)
Reports
12 October 2026
The Fast-track team was provided with an Expert Report.
Technical Report – Hydrology & Hydrogeology (PDF, 7 MB)
6 October 2026
At the request of the expert panel, the Fast-track team was provided an Expert Report.
Expert Report – Air Quality (PDF, 3.5 MB)
21 September 2026
At the request of the expert panel, the Fast-track team was provided a Joint Witness Statement.
Joint Witness Statement – Air Quality (PDF, 344 KB)
21 September 2026
At the request of the expert panel, the Fast-track team was provided a Joint Witness Statement.
Joint Witness Statement – Ecology (PDF, 1.1 MB)
18 September 2026
At the request of the expert panel, the Fast-track team was provided a Joint Witness Statement.
Joint Witness Statement – Hydrology & Hydrogeology (PDF, 317 KB)
7 July 2026
At the request of the expert panel in Minute 15, the Fast-track team was provided a Joint Witness Statement.
29 May 2026
At the request of the expert panel, EarthTech provided the following Hydrology and Hydrogeology Peer Review Report.
Hydrology and Hydrogeology Peer Review Report (PDF, 2 MB)
18 May 2026
At the request of the expert panel, the applicant provided a copy of the Geotechnics (2014) report referenced in section 3.6 of Appendix N in the substantive application.
Geotechnics report 2014 (PDF, 5 MB)
6 May 2026
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga provided the Fast-track team with their section 51 report.
Section 51 report from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (PDF, 532 KB)
6 May 2026
Department of Conservation provided the Fast-track team with their section 51 report.
Section 51 report from Department of Conservation (PDF, 424 KB)
11 March 2026
The Ministry for the Environment provided the Fast-track team with a section 18 report on treaty settlements and other obligations as required under section 49 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
Treaty settlements and other obligations (section 18) report (PDF, 7.3 MB)