The Waihi North mining project has been granted consent to expand operations through to 2043, the first major mining approval under the Government’s Fast-track process.

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Resources Minister Shane Jones said an expert panel signed off the OceanaGold application after 112 working days from when the panel was convened. Jones said a standard pathway could have taken more than five years.

The staged expansion covers new open pit and underground mines, along with tailings and rock storage across several sites around Waihi. The application, lodged in April 2025 by Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited, bundled environmental, wildlife, heritage and access permissions into a single process. The decision extends the operation beyond its previous 2030 end date to 2043.

Ministers said the project is expected to add $5.2 billion in gold and silver exports over its 18‑year life — about $286 million a year — and support around 800 jobs in the Hauraki District and beyond. They also cited an expert panel estimate that Crown revenue from tax, PAYE and royalties would have a net present value of $422 million.

The Government framed the decision as an example of the Fast-track “one-stop shop” approach intended to consolidate approvals that would otherwise be issued by multiple decision-makers. The release did not include detailed consent conditions.

Officials also pointed to a wider pipeline moving through the Fast-track system, including port, housing, quarrying and energy projects. The Government says 25 projects have now been referred into the process.