CRITICAL MINERALS
New Zealand’s abundant mineral sands will make a meaningful contribution to green tech supply.
Building on a solid foundation of success, WMS actively engages with iwi, environmental groups, local council leaders, and the community to develop sustainable practices that protect and enhance the local environment.
Westland Mineral Sands
The shallow depth of our mineral sand deposits allows them to be obtained using surface mining methods. The sand is removed from the ground and transported to a plant on site where the minerals are separated through a spiral using gravity and water – no chemicals are used. Soil layers are carefully managed, stockpiled separately, and replaced to rehabilitate the land back to pasture, often with additional environmental enhancements.
Critical minerals in our sands
The inclusion of four of our resources on the Government’s first critical minerals list emphasises their strategic importance and positions us as a key player in supporting New Zealand’s goals for sustainability and economic growth.
- Titanium (ilmenite) is a lightweight, super-strong material used in medical implants, aerospace, and other high-performance industries.
- Garnet is used in abrasives, water filtration, and industrial applications because of its hardness and durability.
- Rare Earth Elements (REE) play a vital role in technologies like smartphones, wind turbines, medical equipment, and renewable energy solutions.
OUR NEXT PROJECT
Mananui – Hokitika
The proposed mining method focuses on extracting heavy minerals from shoreline sands within a specific area. The process begins by removing a thin layer of sandy topsoil (0.1-0.6 metres), which is saved for later use in restoring the land. A floating dredge is used to excavate the sands in a mine pond that moves progressively through the site.
The dredge operates along a 70-metre-wide path, primarily in a North-South direction. Once the ore is dredged, it is screened to remove larger particles and then sent as a slurry to a processing plant. After processing, the leftover sand (tailings) is pumped back into the mined area, gradually backfilled with processed sand, reshaped, and covered with topsoil to progressively rehabilitate the land.
