Westland Mineral Sands (WMS) has welcomed $30 million in Government support through the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) for the next phase of its value-add mineral processing project on the West Coast.
The funding will support development of the company’s proposed $70 million Mineral Separation Plant (MSP) project at Buller South, just outside of Westport, designed to further refine mineral sands locally and create higher-value mineral products from New Zealand resources.
The development would create skilled regional employment, support new export opportunities and establish New Zealand’s first domestic critical mineral separation capability.
WMS Managing Director Ray Mudgway said the support reflected growing recognition of the importance of regional industrial development and the value of processing New Zealand’s minerals at home.
“This project is about much more than mining. It is about building technical expertise, developing advanced mineral processing capability and creating long-term economic benefits for New Zealand.”
“By processing these minerals in New Zealand rather than exporting a single concentrate product, we can generate substantially greater export value, diversify into multiple international markets and strengthen New Zealand’s position in global critical minerals supply chains.”
WMS Chair John Judge said critical minerals would play an increasingly important role in the global economy and in the technologies that underpin modern life – clean energy systems, and advanced manufacturing.
“This is an important step forward for New Zealand’s emerging critical minerals sector. We have a genuine opportunity to responsibly develop our mineral sands resources and capture more value domestically through processing, innovation and skilled regional employment,” Mr Judge said.
“Projects like this have the potential to contribute meaningfully to regional growth, export earnings and the future of the West Coast.”
The proposed development includes a commercial-scale dry mineral separation facility capable of producing multiple mineral products including ilmenite, rutile, zircon, garnet, rare earth-bearing concentrates and construction sand.
The facility would enable New Zealand to move beyond a single concentrate export and into multiple mineral products across international markets.
WMS estimates value-add processing could increase export value by four to five times compared to shipping Heavy Mineral Concentrate alone.
This is expected to generate between $60 million and $70 million in annual export revenue while improving resilience through exposure to multiple products and markets.
The facility is also expected to deliver broader economic and environmental benefits, including increased Crown tax revenue from a New Zealand-owned company, land royalty payments to Pāmu, and a reduced emissions footprint per tonne of HMC.
The development is expected to generate local engineering work and approximately 40–45 high-value operational roles, with further contracting opportunities during construction.
WMS Chief Development Officer Tim Chase said the project would build on the company’s existing West Coast operational base.
“Very few mineral sands operations globally are situated this close to established infrastructure such as port access, transport links and an existing operational base,” Mr Chase said.
“That infrastructure edge positions the region to become a long-term processing hub.”
Mr Chase said the project remains in the design and development phase, with future stages subject to regulatory approvals and consent processes.
The first phase of work will focus on establishing the project team and securing key long-lead processing equipment. WMS remains committed to working closely alongside iwi, local communities, regulators and government as the project progresses.
