Seabed Mining Threats in NZ
Since the Foreshore & Seabed Act (2004), wannabe seabed mining companies have been eyeing up two potential "resources" in the oceans around Aotearoa: irons sands on the west coast of the North Island and phosphate nodules on the Chatham Rise.
Our black sands
In 2012, mining companies held Exploration and Prospecting permits for iron sands along the whole West Coast of the North Island. In response, mana whenua, communities and ocean-lovers across Aotearoa rallied to stand against seabed mining.
Since then we've fought these projects through the courts and all but one company has left our shores.
Trans Tasman Resources ('TTR')
Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) has been applying for consent to mine iron sands from the South Taranaki Bight since 2013. This Australian-owned company is proposing an operation unlike anything that has happened anywhere in the world.
Under its current Fast-Track application, TTR is seeking permission to:
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Extract 50 million tonnes of seabed every year for 20 years
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Remove five million tonnes of iron ore annually and dump the remaining 45 million tonnes of sediment back into the ocean
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Use a giant seabed crawler and offshore processing ship to suck up, separate, and discharge material
The operation aims to produce iron ore concentrate for export, with vanadium and other minerals only recoverable overseas - and no proven, economically viable method to extract vanadium from these sands...
The mining would take place at depths of 20–42 m within a 66 km² project area, disturbing the seafloor and marine life on an industrial scale.
Permits & History
Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) holds a mining permit and an associated exploration permit for iron sands off the South Taranaki coast. These permits give the company the legal right to extract sand from this area and exclusive rights to the minerals within these sands.
But their operation depends on separating the iron on board a ship and dumping 45 million tonnes of waste sand back onto the seabed every year.
They cannot do this without a marine discharge consent under the EEZ Act, which is what their applications are all about.
TTR has twice applied to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for a marine discharge consent. The first application was declined in 2014.
The second was granted in 2017, but that decision was overturned after a series of court cases, culminating in a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2021. The Supreme Court dismissed TTR’s appeal, upheld the quashing of the 2017 consents, and said the matter should go back to the EPA’s decision-making committee to be reconsidered under the correct legal approach - applying a tougher test of 'no material harm'.
In 2024, TTR withdrew from an EPA re-hearing after only three days of the hearing, and switched to the Government’s Fast-Track process.
Later that same year, regulators approved an expansion of TTR’s mining permit from 66 km² to 243 km², dramatically increasing the potential area they could exploit.
TTR was listed in the Fast Track Projects list and is trying once again to get this project over the line.
Fast Track underway now
TTR is now applying for a marine discharge consent through the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals process.
Thankfully, the panel has invited a wide range of submitters - including KASM, Greenpeace, many iwi and hapū, councils, environmental organisations, boat clubs, and other community groups.
KASM is working with expert scientists and legal counsel to put forward the strongest possible case so the panel has the best evidence before it makes its decision.
Dive deeper: read our comments and expert evidence here
The South Taranaki Bight is home to pygmy blue whales, Māui and Hector’s dolphins, seabirds, and important fisheries. Scientists have warned that the project could affect everything from plankton to whales.
If approved, TTR’s project would open the door to commercial seabed mining across Aotearoa’s oceans.
Why this matters
This is our fight right now. We can't let TTR get consent - their operation wouldn't just cause immediate harm, it could open the floodgates for seabed mining along our entire coast.
Chatham Rock Phosphate (CRP)
CRP's operation would involve:
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Dredging the top 30cm from the seafloor over hundreds of square kilometres
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Mechanically separating nodules onboard using sieves and log washers
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Dumping the remaining sediment and debris back into the ocean
Chatham Rock Phosphate (CRP) is a New Zealand company also registered on a dodgy Canadian stock exchange company that wants to mine phosphate nodules from the Chatham Rise at depths of 350-450m.
Phosphate nodules
The nodules would then be shipped for use as reactive rock phosphate to both NZ and overseas (Asia/Australia) fertiliser companies to process into commercial fertilisers. While these minerals could potentially be used to supply phosphate needs of intensive farming, the radioactive polonium associated with these nodules is a concern for our land...
Permits & History
Chatham Rock Phosphate (CRP) has held a mining permit over ~820 km² of the Chatham Rise since 2013. This permit gives the company exclusive rights to the minerals in the area, but does not allow it to disturb the seabed or discharge waste ie. actually mine.
In 2014, CRP applied for a marine consent to dredge the seabed, and a discharge consent to dump waste back. The EPA refused consent - in a very strong decision - citing major uncertainties about environmental impacts and the risk of irreversible damage to rare benthic habitats. KASM took an active part in the hearing, submitting expert evidence. We were present for every single day of the hearing.
CRP has signalled that it intends to reapply, and has applied to use the Fast-Track process, but was turned down. We need to keep this company on watch.
Why this matters
This Chatham Rise is a special area of our ocean, home to deep sea corals and many other species which would be destroyed by phosphate mining. Scientists are still discovering new species here, showing how little we know about this ecosystem. Mining would permanently destroy seafloor habitat and release plumes that could harm wider ocean life.
The Fast Track Act threatens to speed up approval for these destructive projects. Take action today to ensure our government understands there is no social licence for seabed mining in Aotearoa.
Kiwis do not want seabed mining here!