Welcome to Minerals West Coast

Home - Home page of Minerals West Coast.

	Strategic Plan - Minerals West Coast was initially established as that Cluster/Action Group under Venture West Coast.
	Members - The minerals industry on the West Coast of the South Island of NZ is one of the driving industries of the economy on the West Coast.
	Trust Deed - The minerals industry on the West Coast of the South Island of NZ is one of the driving industries of the economy on the West Coast.
	Board Members- The details of our board members are listed out here.
	Strategy - The objectives and purposes of the Trust are described here.
	Top 10 reasons to live on the Coast - Why work and live on the West Coast? People, jobs, Workstyle, family & friends etc...
	News - Latest News from Minerals West Coast
	Links - Useful links related to Mining, Gold & Coal Industry

	Overview - The clean green West Coast is on a roll, buoyed up by a strong resource boom.
	Weather
	Climate
	Environment
	Education
	Business
	Things to Do
	Accommodation
	What’s On
	Maps

Mines & Minerals

Industry - The West Coast economy is underpinned by mining and the minerals industry.

Gold

	Overview - Most West Coast gold comes from glacial and alluvial deposits where it is found as grains within river sand and gravel.
	Hard Rock - Unlike the many alluvial gold operations on the West Coast, hard rock open pit mining is a large scale and complex operation.
	Alluvial - Alluvial gold is relatively easy to extract from its surroundings as the hard work has already been done over time by natural forces.
	Blacksanding - It's as West Coast as whitebaiting. Blacksanding is a low cost and low impact way to get into the gold business.

Coal

	West Coast Coal - Since 1882 coal mining has been a major industry on the West Coast.
	Coal & the Environment - The drive to develop energy resources and increase the efficiency with which the world uses energy is vital.
	Coal - The Future - The global energy system faces many challenges in this century.

Coal Seam Gas - Methane (CH4) is formed as part of the burial of peat to form coal.

Other Minerals

	Limestone - Limestone is the most widely used industrial mineral.
	Aggregates - The sand, gravel and rock used for building and road making are called aggregate.
	Pounamu - Pounamu is a tough, semi-precious stone also known as greenstone or New Zealand jade.
	Other - The West Coast is well known for coal, gold, aggregate, limestone and pounamu. The area also hosts a range of other minerals.

Careers

	Overview - Like other modern mining regions, the West Coast offers a great range of professional career opportunities.
	Training - The West Coast’s Tai Poutini Polytechnic is the only New Zealand institution delivering mining industry training.
	Careers in Minerals - Like other modern mining regions, the West Coast offers a great range of professional career opportunities.

Environment & Histrory

	Environmental Challenges - The West Coast contains New Zealand’s largest and most important conservation estates.
	Environmental Projects & Best Practice - The WC Mining Industry is dedicated to the protection and preservation of our environment.
	Helpful Environment Publications and Tools
	West Coast Historical Societies

Access & Permitting

	Permitting Legislation - Permitting regime in New Zealand for mineral exploration and mining
	DOC SOP
	Regional Council
	Crown Minerals