New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZP&M), part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), has released mining industry statistics for the calendar year of 2022.
The dataset is the only nationwide compilation of statistics on minerals production, revenue from royalties, and industry expenditure on prospecting and exploration.
Included in the statistics is:
- Information reported to MBIE under statute regarding permits held under the Crown Minerals Act 1991 (this dataset can be considered complete), and
- Information voluntarily provided to MBIE via an annual survey of quarries producing industrial rocks and minerals (given the response rate, this dataset is not considered complete).
“Unfortunately, the response rate for the Annual Return of Industrial Rocks and Industrial Minerals Output survey, which provides us with valuable information on the production of these materials across the motu, has been dropping year on year,” says John Buick-Constable, National Manager, Petroleum and Minerals.
“Data was provided in relation to only 54% of known quarry operations in New Zealand, down from 83% in 2020, and one of the lowest response rates since we began collecting data through survey responses.
“We estimate that at least 70% of the active quarries we approach for this survey do not require a Crown minerals permit as the minerals are privately owned, so we rely on voluntary responses to get an accurate picture of this activity.
“This response is disappointing as this type of data helps inform future policy and regulatory decisions. If we don’t have a complete picture, ultimately that impacts our ability to support the sector with robust policy proposals.”
NZP&M will also be exploring opportunities to work more closely with the Aggregate and Quarry Association to improve this important dataset going forward.
Data released from the survey is anonymised so that no individual producer’s data can be identified. There are no such issues with the information reported to MBIE under statute in relation to Crown-owned minerals.
Key findings for 2022 include:
- Total gold production saw a 14.8% increase from the previous year.
- Total government revenue from all royalties and Energy Research Levies (ERLs) was up 2.98% on 2021 to 2022.
- Total reported aggregate and industrial minerals production was up 12.9% on 2021, with the biggest increases in rock, sand and gravel mined for building.
- Coal production fell 8.4% from 2021.
- Expenditure on prospecting and exploration activities taking place under mining permits rose by 61.7% on 2021.
- This data has a range of uses, including informing and for providing assessment and scrutiny of Government policy proposals.
Visit the NZP&M website for more information.
Annual minerals industry statistics and survey — NZP&M.
Image credit: Piotr Arnoldes
