Waihi North

Project summary

In stages, expand the existing gold and silver mining operations, including establishing new open pit and underground mines, and extending the life of the mine from expiry in 2030 to 2040, including:

• exploration drill sites within Department of Conservation land, including 4 ventilation shafts and 4 new geotechnical drilling sites

• a new underground mine at Wharekirauponga with associated twin decline access to explore and mine including 4 ventilation or escapeway shafts capped at surface

• a new open pit on Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited's private land at Gladstone Hill (with capacity to co-dispose waste and tailings)

• a third tailings storage facility plus a new rock storage facility (with capacity to co-dispose waste and encapsulated filtered tailings).

Project location

• 43 Moresby Avenue, Waihi, Waikato, and across 7 areas described as Wharekirauponga Underground Mine (Area 1).

• Willows Road Farm (Area 2).

• Wharekirauponga Access Tunnel Corridor (Area 3).

• Services Trench Corridor (Area 4).

• Gladstone Open Pit and Waihi Surface Facilities Area (Area 5).

• Northern Rock Stack (Area 6).

• Tailings Storage Facility 3 (Area 7).

Project listing application

Waihi North application – Ministry for the Environment website

Completeness decision 2 May 2025

The substantive application by Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited was deemed complete on 2 May 2025. The application complies with the requirements of section 46 (2) of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024. The application was lodged on 10 April 2025.  

Decision on completeness and scope for application – Waihi North substantive application (PDF, 70KB)

The Fast-track team will check for any competing applications/existing resource consents, before providing the application to the panel convener.

Initial substantive application returned to applicant on 28 March 2025

Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited lodged a substantive application for the project on 7 March 2025. The Fast-track team returned the substantive application, which did not comply with all the requirements of section 46 (2) of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.

Decision on completeness and scope for initial application – Waihi North substantive application (PDF, 72KB)

Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited then prepared and lodged a new Fast-track substantive application. 

Competing applications decision

The substantive application by Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited was deemed to not have any competing applications or existing resource consents on 16 May 2025. This decision is required under section 47 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024. 

Record of decision on competing applications − Waihi North substantive application (PDF, 73KB)

The application has now been referred to the panel convener for determination by a panel.