Crown Minerals Act law changes

You can learn more about the key changes below.

Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025 — New Zealand Legislation

Extension of confidentiality period for data collected by speculative prospectors affected by the ban

Speculative prospectors are companies that collect geoscientific (typically, geophysical) data to sell to multiple explorers and would-be explorers on a multi-client basis. Purchasing multi-client data may be more economical for explorers than collecting data for themselves. 

Before the ban on new petroleum exploration outside onshore Taranaki, some prospectors collected offshore seismic data. Under the Crown Minerals Act 1991, these prospectors are entitled to a 15-year confidentiality period during which they can sell the data to interested explorers. This confidentiality period has been extended for an additional six years.

Reintroduction of the term “promote” into the purpose statement of the Crown Minerals Act 1991

The purpose of the Crown Minerals Act 1991 was previously “manage prospecting, exploration and mining of minerals”. This has been amended to “promote prospecting, exploration and mining of minerals”. Along with a change to the Minister’s role under the Act from “from time to time offer permits for application by public tender” to “attract permit applications”.  These changes show that the Government wishes to increase petroleum exploration and production.

Change to petroleum decommissioning requirements 

To align with international best practice, and better balance regulatory burden and risk, there are new rules to trailing liability and decommissioning obligations. 

Decommissioning petroleum wells and infrastructure

Reversal of ban on petroleum exploration. The Act reverses the ban on oil and gas exploration and shows the Government’s intent to encourage investment in petroleum exploration.

Oil and natural gas help ensure energy security and affordability by assisting during peak electricity demand when electricity generation from renewable resources is not enough. To sustain current levels of natural gas use, New 
Zealand needs to invest in getting the most out of our existing fields and in exploring new fields. 

Beyond energy security, the petroleum sector is an important part of New Zealand’s economy. Oil and gas together contribute billions of dollars to New Zealand’s GDP and earns the Government hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties. Mining also creates high-paying jobs and opportunities to develop skills which benefit local economies.

Change in the way petroleum exploration permits are allocated

The Act and its secondary legislation remove the requirement that petroleum exploration permits are only allocated via public tender and introduces an open market competitive process. The Act does not change the ability for the Minister to run Block Offers.

Open Market competitive process 

Introduction of a new Tier 3 minerals permit 

The introduction of a Tier 3 permit class of mineral permitting is designed for small scale gold mining carried out in a riverbed or on a beach. This type of mining is often referred to as ‘hobby’ or ‘recreational mining’. 

Apply for a Tier 3 mining permit