No mineral exploration on Schedule Four land

No land will be removed from Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act for the purposes of further mineral exploration or extraction.

Around 85 per cent of New Zealand is not protected by Schedule 4, and a great deal of that land has mineral potential. We will explore that land, and where appropriate, within the constraints of the resource consent process, utilise its mineral resources for everyone's benefit.

The Government has also decided to undertake a significant aeromagnetic survey of non Schedule 4 land in Northland and on the West Coast of the South Island to learn more about which areas have the highest concentrations of valuable minerals.

We will add 14 areas totalling 12,400 hectares of land to Schedule 4. In addition, all areas given classifications equivalent to current Schedule 4 areas, such as national parks and marine reserves, will automatically become part of Schedule 4.

This is an added layer of protection for New Zealand's most highly valued conservation land.